Paralympic champion Lora Fachie insists she is more determined than ever to replicate the addictive gold medal-winning feeling at next summer’s Tokyo Games.

The 31-year-old – who competes on the road and in the velodrome – won individual pursuit gold and road time trial bronze at Rio 2016, and seemed on course to mount another title charge next summer with world gold and two silvers in 2018.

But 2019 has been a more testing affair, with circumstances off the bike hindering her credentials despite securing two bronze medals alongside pilot Corrine Hall at the track and road World Championships.

But with less than a year to go until the Tokyo Paralympics, the Liverpool-born rider is confident she is back to her best and can’t wait to begin the countdown to the showpiece of her sport.

Speaking in attendance at the Get Set: Travel to Tokyo campaign in Manchester, Fachie said: “It’s been a tricky year.

“My first guide dog – who retired just after Rio – passed away during the summer and I think it took me longer than I’d hoped to get to grips with that.

“I always say a happy rider is a fast rider on the bike. Obviously, I’ve not been at my happiest over the past few months and I think that has been reflected in some of my performances.

“Training hasn’t always gone right, and you always want to do better than in the previous year, but that hasn’t happened because we had huge success in 2018.

“But the tough times have given me a real drive and a fire in my belly to succeed. I recently had some time off and had to have my bike confiscated off me because I just want to keep training towards Tokyo next year.”
Fachie was speaking as part of Get Set, Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s youth engagement programme, Travel to Tokyo, featuring £2.6 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England, and support from partners including ukactive.

The programme aims to inspire young people aged 5–11, their classmates and families to try new activities and get active together in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Fachie will line up for her third Paralympic Games in Japan, and after missing out on a medal at London 2012 due to a mechanical bike failure, explains securing her Paralympic crown four years later was a dream come true.

A hectic few months await for Fachie, who still believes she has unfinished business with the pinnacle of her sport.

She said: “After London I almost felt as if I’d failed and let the country down, so it was a feeling of disbelief when I crossed the line and realised I’d won the gold medal in Brazil. I still get Goosebumps when I think about it now.

“It was even more amazing because I never thought I’d win a gold in the individual pursuit event. The time trial is my big race and as much as I want to defend my title, I still really want gold on the road so I can finally put the issues I had in London to bed.

“Next year is the first time there’s going to be two World Championships and a Paralympic Games, so it’s going to be really busy.

“Because of that we have to prioritise, and that’s going to be the Paralympics. That’s what we do everything for, and I can’t wait to keep putting the work in and going for glory in a few months’ time.”

You can get involved in Travel to Tokyo youth engagement programme by visiting getset.co.uk/families