Just moments after crossing the finish line, cyclist Paula Tesoriero tumbled heavily on the track -- but not before winning gold and setting a world record yesterday at the Beijing Paralympics.
When the New Zealander finished her race and was riding slowly around a corner, she abruptly went airborne, fell, then lay on the ground in pain, jaw bleeding and glassy-eyed. A hush fell over the crowd, which was stunned to see her prone on the ground.
Her coach and medical assistants rushed into the lane and put her on a stretcher. The 33-year-old was unable to speak, her chin and hands shaking uncontrollably.
Her mother, who was about to hand over a national flag to celebrate, was shocked and kept wiping away tears.
At that very moment, the screen announced Tesoriero's new world record and gold. To thunderous applause from the whole stadium, Tesoriero looked at the screen and burst into tears. She struggled to stand up with the support of two team officials, waving her arms to the crowd.
"It really hurts, but the happiness of success makes me feel much better, and even let me forget the pain," said a smiling Tesoriero after the medal ceremony.
"I can't remember clearly how I fell down. I was very happy with the result when I saw somebody (her mother) trying to give me a national flag of New Zealand," Tesoriero said of her crash.
The defending world record holder won the 500m time-trial of the LC3-4/CP3 category and set a new world record time of 43.281 sec.
Natalie Simanowski of Germany followed less than a second behind.
Tesoriero uses an artificial left leg and has a missing ankle on her right leg. When she competes, she uses a carbon leg, relying on the strength in her thighs to power the bike.
The former lawyer and current full-time senior public servant in New Zealand's Ministry of Justice has never tried to garner sympathy from others; and many of her longtime colleagues still don't know she has an artificial leg.
Tesoriero, who started cycling only four years ago, won two silver at the 2006 World Cycling Championships, and smashed the 500m time-trial world record earlier this year.
"I love cycling. I like many things about it. Feeling the wind and sun on my face, you can go very fast on a bike. I like sports that are action-packed and involve speed, so track cycling is perfect."
The 500m is her favored event, but she will also compete in the 3km pursuit and the 25km road race.
"I am motivated by challenging myself to push my body and mind hard and overcome different obstacles to help me achieve my goals."
Yesterday, five cycling gold medals were won by five different countries on day 2 of the Paralympic cycling competition.
Apart from New Zealand, riders from the United States, Britain, Australia and the Czech Republic notched up a win each.
US athlete Jennifer Schuble, a fulltime engineer, took gold in the women's 500m time trial of the LC1-2/CP4 category
The UK added to its cycling gold medal and world record tally when Anthony Kappes and his pilot, Barney Storey, bettered their earlier world best by half a second in the men's 1km time trial of the B&VI category.
Michael Gallagher of Australia romped to an easy victory by some three seconds over German Wolfgang Sacher in the men's LC1 individual pursuit to take his first ever Paralympic medal.
Xinhua contributed to the story