Gold and a sore head

Record-breaking medallist takes victory-lap tumble

Last updated 23:43 08/09/2008

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HANNAH JOHNSTON

PAULA TESORIERO: Made the medal ceremony, then was off to hospital with concussion and a fat lip.

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Wellington lawyer Paula Tesoriero won a gold medal in track cycling yesterday and deserved another for bravery after knocking herself senseless trying to celebrate her victory at the Paralympics in Beijing.

The 33 year-old, who has two legs that do not work below the knee, won the 500-metre time trial in world-record time but then had the misfortune to crash headfirst over the handlebars after slowing down to get a New Zealand flag.

Tesoriero was whisked off to hospital after the medal ceremony. She was believed to be suffering from mild concussion as well as bruising to the left side of her face and a fat lip.

"Someone was trying to hand me a flag and I lost it," an emotional Tesoriero told The Dominion Post from Beijing.

"I'm rapt I've achieved what I came here to do, but I'm pretty shaken up and a bit sore.

"I hit my head pretty hard so we're off to the hospital to get that seen to now."

Nevertheless, Tesoriero could still reflect with pride on her golden moment - given that one of her legs has been amputated below the knee and the other has no calf muscle.

She took up competitive riding only two years ago but she instantly turned heads in the disabled sports world.

She turned heads again yesterday when she clocked 43.281 seconds to finish ahead of German rider Natalie Simanowski.

"I was the second-last to race and there were some fast times posted ahead of me so I had a quite few nerves on the startline," Tesoriero said.

"But I kept my wits about me and I knew when I crossed the line I had done it - and then came the spectacular crash."

Tesoriero vows she will make the startline for her second event tomorrow. "I'll make sure I'm okay."

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