On Aug. 25, Team USA cyclist [1] and US army veteran [2] Shawn Morelli won the United States's first medal [3] of the Tokyo Paralympic Games [4]. Morelli claimed silver in the women's C4 3000m individual pursuit ahead of bronze medalist Keely Shaw from Canada and behind Australia's Emily Petricola, who took home gold.
Petricola's first-place qualifying time of 3:38.061 [5] set a world record [6], and she ended up lapping Morelli during the finals. Morelli previously set the Paralympic record of 3:57.741 in Rio, where she won two gold medals: one in the road time trial and another in this same track pursuit event [7]. Morelli praised Petricola for her "awesome ride" and said to Teamusa.org, "Now I know what I've got to do to get back to her [8]." She added, "I'm thrilled being able to come out of the pandemic in as great shape as this and to earn a medal."
Morelli, 45 and a 16-time world championship medalist, wrote on Twitter after her race, "Today was a hard fought day filled with adversity [9]. I am grateful to be able to perform and come home with a Silver. Thank you to all my friends, family, coaches and sponsors."
Check out photos of Morelli and her fellow C4 3000m individual pursuit medalists ahead.