Mikhail Astashov won the Russian Paralympic Committee's (RPC) first Para-cycling gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games after triumphing in the men's C1 3000-metres individual pursuit on the track, and followed it up with success in the men's C1 road cycling time trial.

The 32-year-old lapped Canada's Tristen Chernove in the final at the Izu Velodrome, earning the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) a maiden gold of the Games.

Astashov had earlier smashed the world record in qualifying with a time of 3min 35.954sec, at an average speed of 50.011 kilometres per hour.

China's Li Zhangyu set the previous world record at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Milton in Canada with 3:45.469 - Astashov's time was nearly 10 seconds quicker.

Li had also set the Paralympic record of 3:50.373 at Rio 2016.

Astashov was on track to better his new world record in the final, completing the first kilometre in 1:11.464 and passing the 2,000m mark at 2:20.628 - both faster than his equivalent times in the qualifier earlier in the day.

However, the gold medal was secured when Astashov overtook Chernove.

He narrowly missed out on a medal in the men's track cycling C1-3 1000m time trial, but added a road cycling gold in the C1 time trial at Fuji International Speedway.

Astashov's time of 24:53.37 was 2.03 seconds quicker than the United States' Aaron Keith, while Germany's Michael Teuber - a five-time Paralympic gold medallist - finished third, 5.30 seconds behind the RPC rider.

Astashov was born in Khandagatay, and is now based in Yekaterinburg in Russia.

He has a limb deficiency, competing in the C1 class for Para-athletes with the most severe limitations in their lower or upper limbs.

The Tokyo 2020 double champion only took up Para-cycling in 2019, having previously competed in Para-triathlon.

In the road discipline of Para-cycling, Astashov has featured at the last two UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships.

At Emmen in the Netherlands in 2019, Astashov finished ninth in the men's C1 time trial and did not finish the C1 road race, while at Cascais in Portugal in June this year he finished second and third in those events respectively.

Astashov also competes in Para-triathlon, representing his country at the 2018 European Championships in Tartu in Estonia, where he finished ninth in the men PTS2 event.

He won Russia's Para Triathlon National Championships in 2019 and 2020, as well as the World Triathlon Para Cup event in A Coruña in Spain in June 2021.

Astashov has been awarded the Master of Sport distinction in Russia.