Cyclist Sugiura, 50, becomes Japan’s oldest gold medalist

On Tuesday, Keiko Sugiura won the women’s C1-3 road cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympics and became Japan’s oldest gold medalist of all time at the age of 50.

Sugiura scored 25 minutes 55.76 seconds at Fuji International Sppedway to win and revive the age history that Takio Ushikubo was previously at the age of 46 when he won the 71-pound judo at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

She also became the first Japanese female cyclist to win gold at the Paralympics and fourth.

“I could put my plan I had before the competition into practice. I wasn’t nervous and managed to compete keeping myself focused,” Sugiura said. “(But) my pace dropped (in the second half of the race) and I thought I might not survive.”

Japanese Keiko Sugiura will compete in women’s C1-3 road cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympics on August 31, 2021 at Fuji International Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, Central Japan. (Kyodo) == Kyodo

Anna Beck of Sweden won silver 26: 18.03 and Paige Greco of Australia bronze 26: 37.54.

Sugiura has a paralysis on the right side of her body and a decline in memory after falling from a cycling race when she was 45 years old.

A native of Shizuoka Prefecture continued cycling as part of his rehabilitation and won gold for the road racing competition at the 2017 World Championships before winning silver in both the road driving and road racing at the 2019 World Championships.

“I’m really pleased I didn’t stop,” he said. “The people around me supported me to continue this sport. Maybe I’ll talk everywhere about how to win a gold medal at my age.”

On Friday, Sugiura will apply for his second Paralympic gold in a road race.

Japanese Keiko Sugiura (L) and Swedish Anna Beck congratulate each other after competing in the women’s C1-3 road cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympics on August 31, 2021 at Fuji International Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, Central Japan. Sugiura and Beck finished first and second. (Kyodo) == Kyodo

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