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Cyclists pick up where Team GB left off in Velodrome

Paralympics GB - 07/09/2008

Simon Richardson wins GB's first medal of the Games
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Britain lie second in the medal table after day one of the Games with four golds, a silver and two bronze medals from track cycling and swimming. USA are top with four golds and nine in total while China lie third.

Cyclists clinch three golds: Simon Richardson won Britain’s first gold of the Games in the LC3-4 time trial, followed shortly by Aileen McGlynn and Danny Kenny, as Britain’s Paralympian peddlers picked up where their Olympic colleagues left off in the Laoshan Velodrome. All three set world records.

Kindred smashes record to regain title: Sascha Kindred sliced 50 seconds from his own world record to win Britain’s first swimming gold in the 200m IM (SM6) while Jim Anderson took silver in the 200m freestyle. Natalie Jones and Matt Walker both picked up bronze medals in their respective 200m medleys.

GB medals today: 7 Gold: 4 Silver: 1 Bronze: 2

GB medals overall: 7 Gold: 4 Silver: 1 Bronze: 2

Sport by Sport round-up

Basketball: Britain’s men trounced the hosts China by 47 points while the women lost their opening game 59-30 against the tough Australians.

Boccia: Nigel Murray began his quest to regain his gold with two victories, while Dan Bentley and Dave Smith also had first day victories.

Cycling: Three golds and three world records marked a perfect first day in the velodrome for Britain’s peerless cyclists. McGlynn and Kenny’s were expected but Richardson’s surprise win set them on the way.

Equestrian: Britain have a commanding lead in the team test at the half-way stage of their bid to win a fourth consecutive title.

Football: The 5-a-side men lost their opening match against hosts China 3-0 as striker David Clarke failed to add to his 95 goals in his 100th international.

Judo: Ben Quilter just missed out on a medal in the under-60kg, losing to the world champion in the bronze medal match after he’d floored Cuba’s reigning Paralympic champion Sergio Perez to keep his medal hopes alive. Darren Harris lost two bouts at under-66kg but vowed to learn from the experience.

Shooting: Di Coates narrowly missed out on a chance to regain her air rifle title after she finished 10th in the qualifying round. Coates was chasing a ninth Paralympic medal at her seventh Games but failed to reach the final by one point.

Swimming: After breaking a Paralympic record in qualifying Sascha Kindred defended his 200m IM (SM6) crown, while Jim Anderson, Natalie Jones and Matt Walker added to Britain’s medal haul.

Table tennis: Teenager Dave Wetherill beat Athens bronze medallist Rainer Schmidt in his opening class 6 game. Commonwealth champion Sue Gilroy also won her first match while Paralympic veteran Neil Robinson had a walkover in his first fixture.