Dame Sarah, 43, clinched a -record-breaking 17th gold medal in the C4-5 road race in Tokyo. But it was only when her children, three-year-old Charlie and Louisa, eight, finally woke that father Barney turned on the TV to -show them their mother’s -historic victory. It was shortly after 1.30am yesterday that Sarah eclipsed swimmer Mike Kenny, who had previously held the title of our greatest Paralympian.

       Appearing on Good Morning Britain from Tokyo, the mother celebrated her win with daughter Louisa and Barney, who spoke to her from their home in Disley, Cheshire. Louisa told the star: “Congratulations, mum.”

       Barney watched the event alone in the early hours, admitting -he was trying his best not to become “too animated and wake the kids up”.

       He added: “It’s not the most enjoyable experience ever, it’s everything you can’t control. I have no doubt in Sarah’s ability. All you need is a tack on the road and you have a puncture.

       Those are what nerves are about.” Sarah said: “I don’t know if it’s sunk in becoming the greatest ever Paralympian. It’s something everyone has been talking about since Rio [2016] when it became a mathematical possibility with me doing more events in Tokyo.

       “I don’t know whether it will sink in when I get home, or in a few months or even never at all.”

       The swimmer-turned-cyclist, whose first five golds came in the pool in 1992, now holds 28 medals – the same as US swimming legend Michael Phelps.

       GB claimed four golds yesterday with swimmer Bethany Firth, javelin thrower Dan Pembroke and cyclist Ben Watson all victorious.