- By Katie Falkingham
- ` Sport at the National Cycling Centre, Manchester
February 24, 2024
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Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall won in a time of three minutes and 21.765 seconds
Lora Fachie and rider Corrine Hall won their second gold in just a few days at the National Track Championships in Manchester.
The two-time Paralympic champion defeated Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl in the women's Para B pursuit.
This completed their double after they overtook world champions Unwin and Holl for gold in the time trial on Friday.
Lauren Bell and Will Perrett were among the other British champions crowned on day two at the National Cycling Centre.
“This is by no means the most important race we will do this year, but the confidence before the races really helps,” Fachie told ` Sport after her win with Hall.
The Paracycling Track World Championships are coming up in March, before the Paralympics in Paris take center stage in late summer.
“We don’t want to become complacent, our work is not done here,” added Fachie, “but it is a stepping stone and shows that we are going in the right direction.”
Previously, Bell defeated 2022 winner Rhian Edmunds in the women's sprint final after failing to lose a match sprint in any round.
“I came in with the goal of having fun cycling,” said Bell, a two-time world medalist in the team sprint.
“I spent a lot of time racing and put a lot of pressure on myself, so I just came here and had fun.”
Perrett defended his 2023 points race title, winning three rounds by 42 points.
After the 120-lap points race, Perrett, the 2023 European Omnium bronze medalist, said: “It got to the point where you could tell people's legs were tired, so it was time to go.”
“I got about halfway through and thought, 'Why did I do that?' I’m facing the Hong Kong Nations Cup in three weeks and I’m training for that.”
“It feels like I'm lacking a bit of momentum, but I'm obviously very fit and strong, I hope so.” [in the] Over the next few weeks I’ll continue to build and increase that speed.”
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Will Perrett celebrates his victory
Morning steak cheeks fuel the Pope's victory
A nervous Aaron Pope had prepared for the men's kilo time trial by eating three steak casseroles and it proved to be the breakfast of champions as he won his first national title, managing a minute and 2.172 seconds over Niall Monks overtaken in the sold-out race on Saturday evening session.
“It was very hard and if I'm honest I'm not sure I want to do it again,” Pope, who rides for the University of Exeter, told ` Sport.
“I'm feeling a bit out of place after having a Greggs for breakfast this morning and then buying a striped top, I feel a bit stupid. Hopefully my mother will be proud.”
Kate Richardson won the women's individual pursuit title after catching Frankie Hall, while Steve Bate – who won two gold medals at the Rio Paralympics – and his pilot Chris Latham won the men's parapursuit title after also making the catch.
The trio of Harry Ledingham-Horn, Ed Lowe and Hayden Norris won gold in the team sprint.
In the previous session on Saturday, national records fell as Fin Graham set a new best of three minutes and 23.921 seconds in the men's C3 individual pursuit, with Jaco van Gass also breaking the previous record in second place.
In the men's C4-5 individual pursuit, Archie Atkinson defended his national title with a new record of four minutes and 30.477 seconds.
Like Fachie, Daphne Schrager won her second title in a matter of days, defending her title in the women's C1-5 individual pursuit, while Matthew Robertson complemented the bronze medal he won on Friday with gold in the men's C1-2 pursuit .
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