Aberdeen’s Neil Fachie today admitted to mixed emotions after claiming Paralympic silver medal glory in Rio.
The 32-year-old cyclist was defending the Tandem B 1000m time trial title he won at the London 2012 Paralympics.
Fachie and pilot Peter Mitchell had been undefeated in the event for four years since winning gold in London.
That winning streak came to an end in Rio as the duo clocked one minute 0.241 seconds.
That was 0.419 seconds behind Tristan Bangma, of the Netherlands, who set a new Paralympic record time in winning gold.
However, there was joy for Fachie’s fiance Lora Turnham, 28, who won gold in the women’s Tandem B 3km pursuit final.
Team GB’s golden couple are set to marry next month.
A 10-time world champion, Fachie said: “It just didn’t go right for me on the day, but a silver medal at a Paralympic Games is still an achievement.
“It is just sad to miss out on the big one after four years.
“It is mixed emotions at the moment.
“That was the quickest I could go at sea level but I am disappointed as I thought I could have gone quicker.
“But the ride from the Dutch guy was phenomenal to be fair and it was going to take something special to win.”
Fachie adds Paralympic silver to the Tandem B 1000m time trial gold and sprint silver from London 2012.
With sprint omitted from the Rio programme, defending his 1000m time trial title has been Fachie’s drive for the last four years. Now he will take time out to marry fiance Turnham.
Fachie said: “I am just delighted for Lora to win gold.
“It’s been a hard four years for her as she was leading the time trial on the road (London 2012) before she had a mechanical failure.
“She came away with nothing so she needed that gold much more than I did.
“I am so proud and happy for her. It’s just a few weeks before our wedding so it will be great to get away from cycling for a while.”
Turnham and pilot Corrine Hall won gold in the Tandem 3km pursuit final by nearly three seconds over silver medallists New Zealand.
Turnham said: “We get married at the end of October and have been planning it since 2013.
“I knew we were capable of winning a medal but we never allowed ourselves to believe it would be gold.”