Tokyo Paralympics: Carol Cooke caught up in nasty crash to end medal hopes in the T1-2 road race

Veteran Australian Paralympian Carol Cooke’s games have come to a heartbreaking end after she dramatically crashed out of the women’s T1-2 road race amid horrible conditions.

The 60 year-old, who sensationally won silver in the T1-2 time trial a few days earlier, suffered a devastating and nasty-looking crash in the first half of the 26km race.

Amidst howling rain and slippery road conditions, Cooke was behind Marie-Eve Croteau when the Canadian lost control of her bike.

The cyclist behind Croteau, Jane Majunke, hit the brakes, but Cooke was powerless to stop as her bike collided with Majunke’s bike and fell heavily, sliding sideways towards the fence.

Both Croteau and Cooke looked to be in some pain before the pair slowly got to their feet looking worse for wear.

Channel Seven’s Chris Stubbs reported Cooke was receiving treatment from the Australian team doctor and had suffered several grazes to her skin.

In what might be her final Paralympics, Cooke’s race status has since been downgraded to ‘did not finish’, a heartbreaking way to potentially end a storied career.

Born in Toronto before moving to Australia in the mid-90s, Cooke was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 37.

Having been a keen athlete and played an array of sports for most of her life, Cooke took up cycling just over 10 years ago and won gold in the T1-2 mixed time trial in London at 57 years-old, before adding two more gold at the Rio games in the T1-2 time trial and road race.

Cooke’s silver medal in the T1-2 time trial in Tokyo had made her the second-oldest Australian women to medal at a Paralympics and had raised hopes of a similar achievement in the road race.