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Sophie Unwin

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Sophie Unwin
Unwin at the 2024 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships
Personal information
BornSophie Beth Unwin
(1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 30)
Team information
DisciplineTrack, Road
Medal record
Women's para cycling
Representing  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Ind. pursuit B
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Road race B
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Road Race B
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris Road time trial B
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Ind. pursuit B
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Time trial B
Road World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Cascais Time trial B
Gold medal – first place 2022 Baie-Comeau Time trial B
Silver medal – second place 2023 Glasgow Time trial B
Silver medal – second place 2024 Zurich Time trial B
Silver medal – second place 2024 Zurich Road race B
Track World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Pursuit B
Gold medal – first place 2023 Glasgow Tandem time trial B
Gold medal – first place 2023 Glasgow Pursuit B
Silver medal – second place 2024 Rio de Janeiro Time trial B
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Time trial B

Sophie Beth Unwin (born 23 July 1994) is an English racing cyclist who competes in para-cycling tandem road and track events as a visually impaired athlete. She made her first Paralympic appearance representing Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and was again selected for the British team in 2024.

Career

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Unwin (right) and her pilot Jenny Holl (left) at the 2024 Road World Championships.

Sophie began paracycling after attending an open talent event in August 2020.[1] She won the bronze medal in the individual pursuit at the 2020 Summer Paralympics alongside Jenny Holl. She also partnered with Holl to claim silver in the women's road race B event during the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

They won the gold medal in the tandem B time trial at the 2021 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships.[2]

She represented England at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and competed in the women's tandem event. She finished third in the competition however, no bronze medal was awarded as the minimum five entries did not compete, after a late withdrawal from the fifth entered team.[3] This prompted Unwin to protest against the decision to not award her a bronze medal despite finishing third.[4] She along with her pilot Georgia Holt attempted to stand behind the podium ceremony with the flag of England before being escorted/moved by a security staff member and as a result Unwin was subsequently fined for breaching the code of conduct and she left the scene with tears.[5][6]

On 22 July 2024 it was announced that Unwin had been selected for the British team for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, her second Games.[7] She competed in both road and track cycling disciplines and medalled in all four of her events, all piloted by Jenny Holl. The first of these medals, a bronze, came on 30 August in the women's 1000 m time trial B. A second medal, her first Paralympic gold, came two days later in the women's 3000 m pursuit B. In the road time trial B on 4 September she claimed silver, beating fellow British pairing Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall, who won bronze. Unwin won a second gold medal of the Games in the women's road race B.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Cycling Track: UNWIN Sophie". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl: the duo taking the tandem racing scene by storm". rouleur.cc. 21 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. ^ Media, P. A. (30 July 2022). "Sophie Unwin receives apology but no medal after third-place tandem finish". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Sophie Unwin left in tears after not being awarded bronze medal despite third-place finish". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. ^ Parker, Ian (29 July 2022). "Sophie Unwin left in tears after not getting a bronze medal for finishing third". Yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Para-cyclist cops fresh blow over podium protest against bronze decision". 7NEWS. 31 July 2022. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  7. ^ "ParalympicsGB cycling squad announced for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games". ParalympicsGB. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Who has won medals for ParalympicsGB in Paris?". BBC Sport. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
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