Nicole Murray has started strong on day one of the Paralympic Games earning a new national record before finishing fifth in the final of Women’s C4-5 500m Time Trial.
Murray was New Zealand’s first Para athlete to compete in Paris overnight and got straight into her work, achieving a time of 37.367 seconds in qualifying to advance to the final.
In the final, Murray was just outside her national record time she set earlier in the day as she rode 37.425 seconds which put her in fifth - one position higher than she finished in Tokyo.
“I am blown away I got to the final,” Murray said. “It was a stacked field, and the time trial is definitely not my best race, so just to make the final is incredible.”
Before the race, Murray told 1News yesterday that the 500m event wasn’t her most favoured event but she wanted to see how she would fare in front of a packed crowd - something she couldn't experience at her first Games in Tokyo.
“I am so happy to be here, I am so overwhelmed by the crowd. It was tricky staying calm between the qualification and final.”
“I kept seeing all the support and tearing up. It is the first time my parents have been here for any of my international races. It is cool to be able to share this with them.”
The 31-year-old Para Cyclist still has three events to compete in with one more on the track and two on the road. She will feature in the Women’s C5 3000m Individual Pursuit, Women’s C5 Time Trial and Women’s C4-5 Road Race.
Watch the Paralympics live on TVNZ+ and TVNZ1 from August 29-September 9.
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