(L-R) Joe Berenyi, Chris Murphy, Sam Bosco and Clara Brown poses with their medals at the 2019 Parapan American Games on Aug. 26, 2019 in Lima, Peru.
LIMA - Team USA opened track cycling competition at the velodrome with a strong showing in the individual time trial events. U.S. athletes won four medals, including gold from Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Illinois) and Samantha Bosco (Upland,California) at the Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Top highlights from the velodrome
Two at the top - Berenyi and Bosco claimed the top spots in the individual time trial. Berenyi covered the 1-kilometer distance in 1:05.945, more than half a second faster than second place. It was a closer race for Bosco as she secured the top spot by one-tenth of a second.
One for the record books - Four U.S. athletes added their names to the record books with Parapan American records. With the athletes racing in combined classes, their times are factored for the podium and allowing for multiple records to be set in the same event from athletes from different classifications. In the men’s 1km time trial C1-5, Berenyi set a C3 record, silver-medalist Chris Murphy (Alta Loma, California) set a C5 record and sixth place Justin Widhalm (Colorado Springs, Colorado) set a C4 record. In the women’s race, Clara Brown (Falmouth, Maine) set a C3 record.
Team USA Results
4 medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
Gold (2): Samantha Bosco (Upland, Calif.) women’s 500m time trial C1-5 (39.601); Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Ill.) men’s 1km time trial C1-5 (1:05.945)
Silver (1): Chris Murphy (Alta Loma, Calif.) men’s 1km time trial C1-5 (1:06.434)
Bronze (1): Clara Brown (Falmouth, Maine) women’s 500m time trial C1-5 (40.043)
Full results can be found at TeamUSA.org/Parapan2019 and Lima 2019’s website.
Quotes
Joe Berenyi
“It is super exciting and great to share the podium with Chris Murphy. It’s kind of sad to knock him off, but everyone wants to win. And fourth place Jason Kimball, our team sprint teammate, was four-tenths of a second off the podium. Our team did really well today. I credit a lot of that to Sarah Hammer’s track background.”
Sam Bosco
“It is still surreal. To not only PR in the 500, but to win a gold medal in the first day of competition is just mind blowing. To be able to get on the podium with a fellow teammate who did really well is just icing on the cake. It gave me chills to see the two American flags being raised. Hearing the national anthem being played, watching the flags raise and standing next to my teammate was a crowning moment, and I had to fight to hold back tears.”
What To Watch
Action resumes tomorrow with the tandem time trials and men’s and women’s C1-5 individual pursuit qualification and finals. Berenyi is the most decorated member of Team USA in Lima, he will race in the men’s individual pursuit C1-3. Bosco won bronze at the 2019 world championships in the C5 individual pursuit, and will be one to watch in the women’s C4-5 pursuit.
Get Connected
Coverage of the 2019 U.S. Parapan American Team can be found at TeamUSA.org/Parapan2019. Visit TeamUSA.org/USADaily to sign up to receive the USA Daily, a digital news blast that provides Team USA results and highlights each night via email during the Games. Livestream of the Parapan American Games Lima 2019 is also available on TeamUSA.org/Live.
Follow U.S. Paralympics on Twitter,Instagram and Facebook for updated results throughout the Parapan American Games Lima 2019.