Great Britain’s Kadeena Cox retained her Paralympic women’s 500metres time trial title in yet another world-record-breaking final at the Izu Velodrome, kick-starting what she hopes will be another two-sport triumph here.

Cox was impervious to the pressure of riding last in Friday’s final, recording a time of 34.433sec to take gold by more than a second and continue ParalympicsGB’s superb week on the track. There have been nine medals in three days.

Cox will next week turn to athletics, when she will attempt to repeat the multi-sport double she achieved at the Rio Games of 2016 by competing in the 400m at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium.

The obstacles she has contended with will make her an inspiration to many. After victory, she described her struggle with an eating disorder. 

‘I have had injury after injury, which has been hard because it impacts both sports and it is hard mentally,’ she said. ‘It has made my eating disorder creep back up. But I have a great support network who have helped get me through.’

Cox also told Channel 4 that she wants to encourage more young black riders into the sport. ‘There should be no reason that the colour of your skin should stop you from doing everything you want to do,’ the 30-year-old said.

Britain’s Jaco van Gass added a bronze in the men’s C1-3 1,000m time trial to the pursuit gold he won on Thursday.

There was also silver in dressage for Natasha Baker on her young horse, Lottie. Baker was startled when Lottie ‘had a little swoop’ at the commentator speaker when they entered the arena. But they gave an assured performance. ‘It’s the first time she’s been out of the UK,’ said Baker.

There was not such a positive outcome for David Weir, who failed to make today’s 5,000m wheelchair racing final, finishing eighth in his heat. He left with the arena without comment and must hope for better in the 1,500m and marathon.

In the pool, Hannah Russell and Reece Dunn won gold in the 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle respectively. Jessica-Jane Applegate and Stephen Clegg took bronze.