Paracyclist Luís Costa, resident in Portimão, won the bronze medal in the individual time trial, in class H5, of the Paracycling World Championships, which run until Sunday, September 3, in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
This is the «best international result of Portuguese paracycling», according to the Portuguese Cycling Federation.
The athlete from Sporting/Tavira-Paracycling competed in the time trial, over a distance of 23,3 kilometers, divided into three laps, 47 seconds away from equaling the time of the winner, Italian Alessandro Zanardi, multiple champion of H5, class destined to “Handbikes”.
Zanardi, a former Formula 1 driver, completed the three laps of the course in 37 minutes and 47 seconds, at an average of 37 kilometers per hour, guaranteeing the gold medal. Dutchman Tim De Vries took another two seconds to finish second and win the silver medal.
«It was a course to be completed in three laps and in which Luís always walked at a very regular pace and at the level of the best. We knew that he could reach the medals, as his times were very close to Zanardi, only ending up losing a little more on the last lap. Luís [Costa] still has a lot to learn but he's evolving and to get a result like this here is excellent», said José Marques, national coach.
«Two years ago, in this type of competition, Luís Costa lost 5 minutes, last year he lost three minutes, and now he is less than a minute away from the world title. It's a very positive result that takes care of a lot of work. What has already been accomplished to get here and how much still lies ahead to continue to evolve,” he added.
«Luís Costa, whose international experience in the Paracycling World Cup had as a point the third place in the H5 time trial in the Emmen round, in Holland, applied deeply to win the first Portuguese medal in a Paracycling World Cup, surpassing the the misadventures of the fall and the mechanical breakdown of his bicycle that disturbed the completion of his preparation in South Africa», says the Portuguese Cycling Federation.
“I felt confident, but I was somewhat anxious. I know my abilities, I knew what was the moment of fitness and brought a lot of expectations, but as I had so many bad luck this week, with the fall and breakdown of the bike, I went under stress and I was afraid that this would affect my physical condition. But I felt good and I always gave my all, overtaking opponents who had started first», said Luís Costa, who is an inspector of the Judiciary Police.
“The national team and the audience started to tell me that I was in the medals, I started to believe and that was it,” he explained. Luís Costa will compete next Saturday, in the long distance race.
“With a medal I'm much more relaxed. The opponents are the same, the course is my taste and anything is possible. With a cool head, believing as I believe, any result is possible», said the bronze medalist.
The participation of the National Paracycling Team in the World Championships in Pietermaritzburg continues this Friday, with the entry into competition of Telmo Pinão, class C2, in the dispute of the 31 km time trial.
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