Alistair Donohoe has been crowned World Champion for the fourth time in his career at the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Italy over the weekend.
After the disappointment at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Donohoe has bounced back to career best form in the C5 Road Race. Donohoe claimed the gold medal by completing the six lap 81.6km course in 1:51:20 to edge out Ukrainian Yehor Dementyev by 24 seconds.
The 23-year-old has earned this title, regularly spotted hard at work in the VIS gym, heat chamber and living in an altitude tent.
“This one meant a lot. Two years since Rio, crossed the line with my bike this time. Too many people to thank, but special mention goes to Nick Owen for putting up with me,” Donohoe said via Instagram.
Earlier in the week, Donohoe placed just outside the medals, finishing fourth in the Time Trial.
2017 VIS Award of Excellence recipient, Carol Cooke, added two silver medals to her collection throughout the Championships. Cooke was an agonisingly 0.02 seconds off claiming gold in the Women’s T2 Road Race, with Jill Walsh (USA) taking the title on the day. In the Time Trial, it was a yet another battle between Cooke and Walsh, with 29 seconds separating the gold and silver medal. Cooke crossed the line to complete the 13.6km course in 25:42.71 to win silver.
Hannah MacDougall won silver in the Women’s C4 Road Race in a time of 1:55:27, with Shawn Morelli claiming the gold six seconds ahead.
“I raced my heart out in the Time Trial today. [I’m] really proud of how I paced the race; it has been an epic journey to get here. Super special to pick up silver and share the podium with my Australian teammate, Meg Lemon.”
Stuart Tripp finished fifth in the men’s H5 Road Race and Time Trial.
