Corrine Hall (left) and Lora Fachie (right) started competing together in 2013 Double Paralympic cycling champion Lora Fachie has announced her retirement from the sport. Fachie, 36, who is visually impaired, has been part of the Great Britain team for 15 years and competed at four Paralympics, winning seven medals and also claiming 15 world medals over her career. At the Tokyo Games in 2021 she and husband Neil, who is also visually impaired,famously both won goldin their respective events within the space of an hour. First Neil and sighted pilot Matt Rotherham claimed victory in the B 1,000m time trial before Lora and her pilot Corrine Hall won the B 3km individual pursuit to retain the title they won in Rio in 2016. She took a break from the sport in 2022 to have son Fraser but returned to the saddle at the 2023 World Championships in Glasgow, just eight months after giving birth, where she won a silver medal on the track with Hall. At the Paris Paralympics Fachie and Hall came away with three bronze medals - the first on the track in the pursuit, followed by the same result in the time trial and road races. "I've been on an incredible journey these past 15 years and I'm eternally grateful to British Cycling for giving me so many amazing opportunities," said Fachie, who was awarded an MBE in 2017 and an OBE in 2022. "The memories I've made along the way I will treasure for ever. "Although I'm sad to be ending my career at this point, I know I've got a lot of exciting opportunities to embrace in the years to come. "I am looking forward to giving back to sport in a small way by working for British Blind Sport and hopefully improving the experiences of others with a visual impairment within sport and leisure." British Cycling performance director Stephen Park added: "Lora has been a key member of the squad for over 15 years and what she has achieved in that time is nothing short of remarkable. "Lora is incredibly determined and tenacious and these qualities have defined her whole career and she will go down in the history books as one of Britain's best Paralympians."
Fachie announces Para-cycling retirement
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Lora Fachie Announces Retirement from Para-Cycling After 15-Year Career"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
Lora Fachie, the two-time Paralympic cycling champion, has announced her retirement from competitive cycling at the age of 36. Over her remarkable 15-year career with the Great Britain team, Fachie, who is visually impaired, has competed in four Paralympic Games, securing a total of seven medals. Her achievements include an impressive haul of 15 world championship medals. Notably, at the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics, she and her husband Neil, also visually impaired, made headlines by both winning gold medals in their respective events within just an hour of each other. Fachie's journey has been marked by significant milestones, including her retention of the B 3km individual pursuit title from the Rio 2016 Games alongside her pilot Corrine Hall. After a brief hiatus in 2022 for the birth of her son, Fraser, Fachie made a triumphant return to the sport, winning a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Glasgow, only eight months postpartum.
In her retirement announcement, Fachie expressed gratitude for the opportunities British Cycling has provided her throughout her career. She reflected on the incredible journey she has experienced over the past 15 years and emphasized the importance of the memories she has created along the way. Although she is saddened to conclude her competitive career, Fachie is excited about future opportunities, particularly her intention to contribute to the sport by working with British Blind Sport to enhance the experiences of individuals with visual impairments in sports and leisure. British Cycling's performance director, Stephen Park, praised Fachie's determination and tenacity, highlighting her significant contributions to the team and asserting that her legacy will be remembered as one of Britain's greatest Paralympians. Fachie's retirement marks the end of an era in para-cycling, yet her influence will continue as she seeks to inspire and support others in the sporting community.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.