AN EIGHTH PARALYMPIC medal and third of this Games for the legendary Katie-George Dunlevy, but this was a particularly frustrating silver.
She and her pilot Linda Kelly had led for practically the entire 99.4km road race at Clichy-sous-Bois, only to be overtaken by Great Britain’s Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl with about 200m to go.
Unwin and Holl took gold by three seconds in the end, crossing the line in jubilation in 2:37.26. Dunlevy raised her arm limply as the Irish tandem finished, the final act of a gruelling, tactical afternoon, while Ireland’s other tandem, Josephine Healion and pilot Eve McCrystal, finished fourth (2:42:05).
The British pair sat in, waiting to pounce at the finish. The Irish knew their rivals were better sprinters and would likely beat them if it came to a big finish, but they just couldn’t get away. There was nothing they could do in the end.
With their silver medals around their necks, Dunlevy and Kelly explained how the race unfolded tactically. A crucial juncture arrived with three or four laps of the seven to go.
“It was very frustrating when they said they weren’t going to work,” said Dunlevy.
“They actually tried to make a deal because the two of us were up the road and they said to myself and Katie, ‘We’ll work with you if you don’t try attack us,’” Kelly added, “and I said, ‘Well I’m not promising anything, and [Katie] said no.”
“I said no,” Dunlevy confirmed. “We did a big effort to get away and that’s when we lost the other bikes and realised they were there and I said, ‘Help us get in front,’ because usually you do up-and-overs and take turns to try and get away from the other bikes behind. And she said, ‘No, no, we are working for Corrine and Lora [the other GB bike that came third], we’ll work with you if you don’t attack us,’ and I said, ‘No, I’m sorry, we are going to attack you.
“It’s part of the game, but it is frustrating. They did the right thing, that’s what we would have done if they were the best, strongest bike and good climbers. We would have sat behind them so it was up to us to try and get away and we couldn’t.”
“They sat in behind and they are drafting and just not working as hard as you. We had 14 hills each time. You burn your matches.”
This was a real case of mixed emotions for 42-year-old Dunlevy, who now holds half of Ireland’s medal tally for Paris 2024.
This was the new-look pairing’s second medal at this Games, having won gold in the road time trial on Wednesday where they beat Unwin and Holl. She previously won another silver with long-serving pilot McCrystal on the track.
“I am hard on myself because I really wanted to retain my title and win the gold, but on reflection, it is my eighth Paralympic medal and Linda’s second medal, but her first road race medal,” said Dunlevy.
“I was jumping up and down the other day, and I am a bit disappointed now because I wanted to win so much, and I believe we are the strongest bike, so we should and could have won. But that’s road racing for you. It is a bit of a lottery. It is so exciting and that is why I love it.”
While the rivalry will be renewed at the Para Cycling World Championships in Zurich later this month, Dunlevy remains undecided on her long-term future as the four-year cycle towards LA 2028 looms. Thirty-year-old Kelly will “try stick around as long as I can” after a successful first Paralympics.
“We need to have a bit of downtime,” Dunlevy said. “I will carry on for the year, but LA… I need to look at a few things, debrief and assess stuff, we’ll see. It’s a long commitment.”
Whatever happens next, this was another remarkable chapter in a Hall of Fame career.
Dunlevy’s longevity is remarkable, her success striking. She spoke brilliantly about inspiring the next generation on Wednesday, and echoed those words today.
“I was asked why am I still doing it, why have I still got that drive? I think it’s just to kind of give back and inspire the next generation, inspire children. Even my younger self, I didn’t have anybody to look up to, any idols, so if it just inspires any child with vision impairment to just believe in themselves, then that’s my job done.
“The drive I have, I don’t know where I get it from. The Dunlevy women, we’re all fighters and we’re all strong women and we’re stubborn, as my sister says.”
