It was a bittersweet evening as two-time Paralympian, Chris Murphy (Rancho Cucamonga, California) added a ninth career world championship medal on the track winning silver in the MC5 1-kilometer time trial on the fourth day of the 2023 UCI Para-cycling World Championships.
After an impressive morning qualification round in his marquee Para-cycling event, the night’s final marked not only Murphy’s last individual competition in Glasgow, but also his 10-year storied career. Murphy will return to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome for one final event competing in the team sprint to wrap his athletic career.
“I’m feeling relieved,” said Murphy.
“That’s the last individual race of the competition but also of my career as I’m retiring after this weekend. It’s a little surreal that all the ten years of work is kind of bookended by that race.
“There are several aspects that being part of this team has been instrumental in my development as a person not only in sport but it’s also time for me to move on.”
In the men’s C3 scratch, Paralympic gold medalist, Joe Berenyi (Aurora, Illinois) held his own in the leader’s pack across the 60-lap race finishing in a top five position.
Continuing an impressive streak at their first major international event as a duo, Hannah Chadwick (El Cerrito, California) and pilot Skyler Espinoza (Freeport, Maine) put on a brilliant performance in the day’s qualification and semifinal rounds to secure their place in the WB sprint bronze medal event.
For Paralympian Aaron Keith (Woodinville, Washington), a sixth-place finish and spot in the MC1 1km time trial final was exactly what he hoped for as preparation in one of his last few track events before transitioning to the road.
“Today was kind of a race to get as much out of it as I could,” said Keith.
“The kilo is not my specialty so I wanted to get some good track time and a good feel for how I could do coming out of the starting block. I wanted to try to make a final which I did so I’m happy.”
Bryan Larsen (Windsor, California) dealt with an unfortunate circumstance in the morning’s MC5 time trial after suffering a flat tire midway through the second lap. Impressively, Larsen was able to complete the race recording a sixteenth-place finish.
With only three more days to compete in track competition, Team USA returns to the world stage on Sunday, August 6 for the women’s 500m time trial, men’s sprint and men’s scratch races.
Credit: US Olympics
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