Handbiker Annika Zeyen-Giles won the first gold for the German Para Team at the World Championships in Zurich.
After her two Paralympic bronze medals in Paris, the 39-year-old took first place in the individual time trial in Switzerland, finishing 10.81 seconds ahead of Australian Paris runner-up Lauren Parker in 29:06.34 minutes. In total, the German Disabled Sports Association collected five medals in the time trials.
“I absolutely did not expect it. I have never beaten Lauren Parker in a time trial competition. The World Championships were probably the best opportunity to change that. Things went very well right from the start,” said Zeyen Giles. She is “hugely” happy about her second World Championship gold in the time trial after 2022, in addition to four triumphs in the road race.
With silver in the H5 starting class, 53-year-old Andrea Eskau missed out on her ninth world championship title in the time trial, finishing a good one and a half minutes behind winner Chantal Haenen from the Netherlands. Julia Dierkesmann, the second German in the competition, came third. Angelika Dreock-Käser also took bronze with her tricycle in the T2 starting class. The day before, cyclist Kerstin Brachtendorf had already taken third place in the C5 starting class.
Two top German athletes, Paris winner Maike Hausberger and silver medalist Michael Teuber, are not competing in Zurich. The Para World Champions in the road races will be crowned in Switzerland from Thursday to Sunday.
Source: www.sport.de
