Sarah Storey holds 14 Paralympic golds. She also has eight silvers, three bronzes and 23 World Championship titles in cycling.
Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan on BBC Dates: 24 Aug-5 Sep Time in Tokyo: BST+8 Coverage: Follow Radio 5 Live or on the BBC Sport Website
Sarah Storey has been a Paralympic athlete for 29 years. She has the medal collection.
She is Britain's most successful female Paralympian, with 14 golds in Paralympic swimming, and five in cycling before she switched to swimming.
She will win her three events at Tokyo 2020 Games, the C5 individual pursuit and C5 time trial, and surpasses swimmer Mike Kenny's 16 titles. This will make her the country's most successful Paralympic athlete.
It was not bad for someone who, at just 10 years old, joined her first swim club. She was then told that she had "started training too late in order to be any good at anything".
"I believe [the record] would be something that I wouldn't believe if it was true." Storey, 43 years old, said that he is focusing only on each race one at a while.
"To be able to compete in eight Games is an incredible honour. To have a chance at this goal is another great opportunity." It's something I am eager to do.
Storey made her Paralympic debut at Barcelona 1992.
Although training has been different due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Storey is still as confident as anyone about retaining her Rio titles.
Restrictions for spectators mean that there are no tickets to the Tokyo Paralympics. They start on 24 Aug. So Storey's children, Louisa, 8 and Charlie, will not be able to travel to Japan.
Louisa, Charlie, and their dad, Storey's husband Barney, almost always attend her races in non-pandemic periods. Tokyo will be different and Storey is well aware of that.
She said, "It's one of the first Games that my parents have not been to, so it isn't something to be taken lightly."
It is difficult to do this alone, even if you have the support of others. But I've got a lot of mental strength so I'm going be calling on it every day.
"I'm prepared. The kids have been preparing, they've drawn me things and we've been discussing it. They know that I'll be gone for 22 days. I don't know if they can imagine what 22 days look like.
"It's going be difficult, but it's just how it is and it's not something I can change."
The Paralympic movement, which Storey has made her Games debut in 1992, has "immensly" grown over the nearly three decades. Although she didn't know about their existence until two-years before the Barcelona 1992 Games, Storey says that children now have role models to look up to.
"The opportunities are much greater, and it's clearly for me a very proud time to have been able contribute and remain relevant for such an extended period of time. She said that the Games are growing in size and complexity will bring new pressures on her and a different focus.
"To be still there and to still be considered one of the top performers at the Games, I still have the ability to pinch myself that people are speaking about me that way."
It looks like Storey will be talking about her for a while, as she has no plans of calling it quits. She says that the chance to travel to Paris Paralympics 2024 would be "huge."
She said, "I love training, and I'm a bit like a training animal. I've always loved challenging my self,"
"But I also love the reaction that my children have now. Louisa and Charlie love to be involved in competition training and support. It makes them feel good and helpful.
"Seeing them enjoy is a great motivating factor. It's hard to leave them, because they don't get the chance to experience this same joy with me.
"Charlie has never been to Paralympic Games, and he is eager to learn more about them." Although he may not yet be four, he is very knowledgeable and I have so much motivation to continue beyond these Games and make Sarah Storey the best version possible.
Sarah Storey with her children
"I knew she was special"
Rachael Latham, a former Para-swimmer and BBC Paralympic reporter
Sarah was 21 years old when I met her. She had won five Paralympic gold medals by the time we met. Although I was just nine years old, I knew that she was special.
She mentored and coached me for six years. I soon learned that there were two sides to Sarah. Although she is strong and assertive, it shouldn't surprise that she has two sides. After all, you can't be the most decorated British Paralympic female athlete without these attributes. She is also a soft-spoken outside of competition. She is a loyal, supportive, and caring person to all those she loves. She probably learned this behavior from her family who were always there for her.
She has made a significant impact on the Paralympic Movement. Not only have her achievements raised the profile of Paralympic sport, and changed public perceptions of disability, but also she has been supporting young disabled talent since her 20s. While most people her age are still trying to figure out their purpose in life, she knew what she wanted so she spent her time helping others with disabilities realize their potential.
While her priorities for spare time have changed over the years and she is now a mother, her children take up that space. Her drive and ambition remain the same.
There will be times when she has to be selfish in order to win 14 Paralympic medals. She is not easily distracted and can focus solely on the goal.
It was not surprising that she switched from swimming to cycling. She started swimming at a young age and reached her peak in the pool. However, she was able transfer her skills to other sports. She doesn't mind challenging her body to try new things, and she always wins. Athletes cannot rest on their laurels.
Although her physical talent is extraordinary, I believe it is her mental attitude that sets her apart.
