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Linda Kelly and Katie-George Dunlevy. Tom Maher/INPHO

Ireland's Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly win Paralympics gold in individual time trial

It marks Ireland’s first gold medal and fifth medal overall in the Games.

KATIE-GEORGE DUNLEVY and pilot Linda Kelly have won gold in the women’s B individual time trial today at the Paralympics in Paris.

It marks Ireland’s first gold medal and fifth medal overall in the Games, Dunlevy and Kelly finishing first in 38:16.58.

Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal finished in a time of 41:57.61 to come home in fifth place.

The silver medal was won by Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Hall of Team GB, while their counterparts, Lora Fachie and pilot Corrine Hall, landed bronze.

The result sees Dunlevy retain her title, after winning gold in Rio de Janeiro (2016) and Tokyo (2021) with Eve McCrystal.

It takes Dunlevy’s Paralympic medal record to a remarkable total of seven, her first achieved without McCrystal.

Dunlevy and McCrystal claimed silver on Sunday in the Women’s B 3000m Individual Pursuit.

linda-kelly-and-katie-george-dunlevy Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

“Painful, horrific, it was hard,” 42-year-old Dunlevy reflected afterwards. “We heard we were down coming into the first lap and I’ve just learned through experience that it is not over until you finish and come across the line.

“We had to keep pushing and we had a few hairy moments, nearly hitting the barriers, a close shave but that’s racing you are on the limit. If I am not in a world of pain and am falling off the bike, I haven’t worked hard enough. It is not glamorous. It is a suffer-fest of a sport.

“I’m just so proud of Linda. I’m so proud of our race. To come away and win that, I actually can’t believe it, it will take a while to sink in.”

“It’s just a dream for me getting a medal at the Paralympics, a gold medal, it’s just magic,” Kelly added. “I am over the moon. As Katie said, it will take a couple of days to sink in.”

Healion and McCrystal also shared their thoughts with The 42 after their top-five finish.

“It was really hard,” Paralympics debutant Healion said. “Really good effort, really tough course, bit of everything in it. Had to push hard. Done the best I could so I’m happy with that.”

“It was a really tough but enjoyable course, it was hot,” McCrystal added, with both congratulating Dunlevy and Kelly.

“There was everything in it. It was up, it was down, it was technical. I did enjoy it. It was good. We got out what we could. We came into this probably lying in fifth as a pairing, lying in fifth all year. Great result, top-five for Josie in her first Paralympic Games, what more could she ask for and still the road race to come.”

- With reporting from Emma Duffy at Clichy-sous-Bois

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    Mute David Hickey
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 6:29 PM

    Carty was brilliant, perfect off the tee, and the difference for me tonight. It was summed up in one passage for me. He hit a quality 50:22, and from the resulting line out hit a penalty which made it a two point that Treviso never got back from. Murray’s run, and Boyle and Prendergast at the fringes: quality too.

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    Mute David Hickey
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 6:29 PM

    *Two score game. Pardon me.

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    Mute rugbyanbeer
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 7:14 PM

    @David Hickey: when he’s ON,,he is box office, average exiting player

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    Mute rugbyanbeer
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 7:18 PM

    @rugbyanbeer: typo a very exciting player

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    Mute Cathal Carr
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 7:23 PM

    @David Hickey: a lot of Irish rugby fans see Carty play 6 times a year. Interpros. And are oblivious to a lot of his clutch stuff beyond that. Which is a shame. (Same for a few other Connacht and Ulster players). He was quality earlier, a clinic at 10.

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    Mute TL55
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 8:35 PM

    @Cathal Carr: Curate’s egg. Have to take the penalty he kicked dead into account when assessing him.

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    Mute mike ryan
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:04 PM

    @TL55: two bad touch finders in two weeks unfortunately

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    Mute Reg Gordon
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:12 PM

    @mike ryan: if carty was a better points kicker he would be on the Irish team.
    It’s the one weak point of his game but unfortunately is a big part of what is needed to be an international 10

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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:35 PM

    @Reg Gordon:
    Can none of the back three kick like in other National teams?

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    Mute Breandán Ó Cadhain
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:45 PM

    @David Hickey: what annoys me is Carty is always judged by his odd bad moment. Where as certain other 10′s are judged by their odd good moments and praised as the next best thing for years on end…as a Connacht fan I’m not saying he should be in the Irish squad…just saying that there are others ahead of him who have been bang average for years but can seem to do no wrong and given multiple opportunities to play themselves into form.

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    Mute Barry Newell
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:56 PM

    @Breandán Ó Cadhain: that’s very true. Plus with him rarely being injured he’s in the shop window much more than others. He looks a little low on confidence tho at the minute

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    Mute Bgkph
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 10:09 PM

    @Breandán Ó Cadhain:As a Munster fan I agree with your take on Carthy Joey had a horror show for the first twenty last night ended up close to MOTM. A good sixty minutes doesn’t make up for a bad twenty

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    Mute Cowboy Paddy
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    Dec 4th 2022, 2:33 PM

    @Breandán Ó Cadhain:
    There is also context as well… Connacht were having a bad time converting penalty line outs. Jack was trying to get the on the 5 meter line as he knew 8-9m would probably be too much for them. It is about risk, he knew what he was doing and why he was doing it… Other Irish sides have a much higher score rate and can convert from 8-9m…
    Saying that, Carty’s pass for the first try is as fine a pass you will see this year. That what makes him different…

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    Mute Prof. William Joyce
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 8:23 PM

    Good win but still lots of mistakes. But well done some great training pitch plans. Boyle was amazing and Hansen is so good. Onwards and upwards!

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    Mute Reg Gordon
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    Dec 3rd 2022, 9:14 PM

    @Prof. William Joyce: yeah it was a good win but a better team would have crucified us in the first half. We were but the bounce of a ball from disarray a few times

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    Mute mike ryan
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    Dec 4th 2022, 1:00 AM

    5-0 on the table the most important thing but plenty didn’t go right either, would of been nice to increase the points difference a bit, don’t know how Boyle held that up over the line, deserved his motm

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