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Colin Lynch (cyclist)

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Colin Lynch
Personal information
NationalityIrish
Born (1970-12-16) 16 December 1970 (age 53)
Singapore
Sport
Country Ireland
SportPara-cycling
Disability classC2
Event(s)Individual time trial, Track time trial, Individual pursuit
ClubManchester Wheelers
Coached byNeill Delahaye
Achievements and titles
Personal bestC2 Class Paracycling World Hour Record – 43.133km (Oct 1, 2016)
Medal record
Men's Para-cycling
Representing  Ireland
Summer Paralympics
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Road time trial C2
UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Roskilde Road time trial (C2)
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Baie-Comeau Road time trial (C2)
UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Los Angeles 3km pursuit (C2)
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Aguascalientes 3km pursuit (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2016 Montichiari 3km pursuit (C2)
UCI Para-cycling Road World Cups
Gold medal – first place 2011 Australia Road time trial (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2011 Australia Road race (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2011 Spain Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2013 Spain Road time trial (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2013Italy Road time trial (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2013 Canada Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2014 Italy Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2015 Italy Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2015 Switzerland Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2016 Spain Road time trial (C2)
Silver medal – second place 2016 Belgium Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2017 Italy Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2017 Belgium Road time trial (C2)
Gold medal – first place 2017 Netherlands Road time trial (C2)

Colin Lynch (born 16 December 1970) is a retired Paralympic cyclist competing in C2 classification events for Ireland.[1]

Career

[edit]

Lynch won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the time trial C2 event.

Lynch started riding for the Irish Paracycling National Team in 2010. In 2011 he won his first UCI Paracycling World Cup Time Trial medal in Australia, followed by a silver medal in a World Cup time trial in Spain. In the World Championships in Roskilde, Denmark that year, Lynch won his first World Championship title in the time trial.

It was quickly followed up by another World Championship title in 2012 in the 3 km Pursuit in Los Angeles.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games were a disappointment for Lynch as he missed winning a bronze medal in the 3 km Pursuit by 1/10th of a second. Also finished 5th in the road time trial and crashed in the road race.

In 2013, Lynch returned to form, winning a bronze medal in the time trial in the World Championships in Canada. There were also silver medals in the time trial in World Cup races in Canada and Italy, a gold in Spain, and the overall UCI Paracycling World Cup title. The season was topped off with a bronze medal in the time trial in the World Championships in Canada.

2014 brought more success on the track, with a silver medal in the World Championships in the 3 km Pursuit in Mexico. A gold medal in the time trial in the World Cup event in Italy but a disappointing 5th place in the World Championships in the USA.

In 2015, disappointment again – losing out in the bronze medal ride-off in the 3 km Pursuit in the Track Cycling World Championships in the Netherlands. However, there were back-to-back World Cup time trial wins in Italy and Switzerland.

In 2016, more track success with a silver medal in the 3 km Pursuit in the World Championships in the Netherlands, followed by a World Cup silver and a gold in events in Belgium and Spain.

At the 2016 Paralympic Games, Lynch finished 5th in the 3 km Pursuit and won the silver medal in the time trial.

On October 1, 2016 in Manchester, UK, Lynch was the first Paracycling rider to set an Hour Record under revised and approved UCI rules. The distance ridden was 43.133[2] beating the previous World Best mark set by Laurent Thirionet in 1999 of 40.031 km.

Personal life

[edit]

Lynch broke his foot playing rugby aged sixteen and was then diagnosed with a spinal tumour. The tumour was removed but the cast was placed too tightly on his foot and caused tissue damage, and his left leg had to be amputated below the knee.[3][4]

In addition, Lynch lost the use of the muscle below the knee on the opposite leg. The resulting disability placed him in the C2 class for Paracycling.

Lynch was born in Singapore and spent most of his early life in Canada. He competed for Ireland as his father was a native of Drogheda.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Colin Lynch".
  2. ^ "Colin Lynch makes history with first para-cycling UCI Hour Record". www.uci.ch. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  3. ^ Cubes, Website design and website development by Blue. "Cycling Ireland – Para-Cyclist Colin Lynch ready to hold his own at Rio 2016". Archived from the original on 31 October 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Colin Lynch RIO".
  5. ^ "Irish Paralympic cyclist appeals for new leg". IrishCentral.com. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
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