Leeds star Kadeena Cox wins second gold at Rio Paralympics

Leeds athlete Kadeena Cox has won her second gold of the 2016 Rio Paralympics as Great Britain surpassed its London 2012 total.
Kadeena Cox celebrates with her gold medal won in the Women's C4-5 500m Time Trial final in Rio. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WireKadeena Cox celebrates with her gold medal won in the Women's C4-5 500m Time Trial final in Rio. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Kadeena Cox celebrates with her gold medal won in the Women's C4-5 500m Time Trial final in Rio. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Cox, 25, became the first Briton to win medals in two sports at the same Paralympics since 1988 after winning bronze in the T38 100 metres.

She now has gold medals from two sports at the same Games.

Having won gold in track cycling’s C4-5 last week she today won the 400m at the Olympic Stadium.

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She clocked a world record of 1:00.71, beating the mark set by Russia’s Margarita Goncharova in winning the European title in Italy in June.

Russia is banned from the Rio Paralympics for state-sponsored doping.

Cox is entered into Saturday’s road race, but she has never ridden one before, is a sprint athlete and her entry is more to meet criteria. She is unlikely to finish, while Dame Sarah Storey is the favourite to add her 14th gold medal.

Leeds City Council Leader, Coun Judith Blake, said: “What more can we say about the performances of Leeds and Chapeltown’s Kadeena Cox? To compete in one sport is hard enough, but to take part in two and win medals is absolutely unbelievable. This just shows what an outstanding athlete she is, and why we are so very proud of her.”

ParalympicsGB now have 37 golds, improving on 34 four years ago.