VERWOOD'S Darren Kenny kicked off the Paralympics in golden style as he superbly claimed gold in the men's CP3-4 one-kilometre time trial in Athens.
The 34-year-old Bournemouth Fircroft Arrow Hotel cyclist set a world record of 1:14.472 to win the event on day one of the Greek Games.
An emotional and delighted Kenny said: "That was the fastest I have ever gone, it was just fantastic. It brings to a head two-and-a-half years of hard work.
"I have had a fantastic back-up team behind me. It was a good team effort and I'm just glad I could deliver the goods on the track today."
Kenny, a category CP3 rider, took gold even though his time was slower than that of bronze medallist Jiri Bouska, who is classified as a CP4 rider, because of the factoring system used to take account of different disability levels in combined cycling events.
The European gold medallist is aiming for a quick return visit to the top of the podium again today when he takes on Javier Otxoa in the men's CP3 3km time trial.
Fellow British cyclists Aileen McGlynn and Ellen Hunter had already struck gold with a world record in the women's B1-3 1km tandem time trial at the Olympic Velodrome.
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