Eleanor Simmonds wins gold aged 13
GREAT Britain’s youngest Paralympian Eleanor Simmonds won a shock gold medal at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing today.
The Walsall-born 13-year-old timed her finish to perfection to clinch gold in the women’s S6 100 metres freestyle in one minute 18.75 seconds.
It was Britain’s second triumph in the Water Cube after Sascha Kindred won the men’s SM6 200m individual medley on day one.
A tearful Simmonds, who competes for Swansea, was stunned.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “I told my mum not to cry before.”
Holland’s Mirjam de Koning-Peper was second and world record holder Doramitzi Gonzalez, of Mexico, was third while Britain’s Natalie Jones was fifth.
“In the last 25 (metres) I knew everybody was around me, so I just got my head into it, got my last bit of energy and just went for it.”
Simmonds, who will be 14 in November and has Achondroplasia (dwarfism), broke her own British record in securing victory – and her best event is yet to come.
She is the world record holder in the S6 400m freestyle, which takes place on Sunday, after setting the mark in the British Championships earlier this year.
Simmonds is the youngest British Paralympic champion since 12-year-old Joanne Round won a swimming relay gold in Seoul 20 years ago.
She had earlier underlined her growing potential with a fifth-place finish in the 200m individual medley.
She missed out on bronze by just three seconds after clocking 3.18.41 minutes.
Kindred, competing in his fourth Paralympics, clinched his ninth medal and fifth gold.
The 30-year-old from Hereford lowered his own world and Paralympic record to 2:42.19 in winning a third straight individual medley title.
Broxburn’s Jim Anderson – a fourtime champion in Athens – won silver in the S2 200m freestyle for Britain’s first swimming medal before Kindred’s victory.
David Roberts rode the wave created by Simmonds to claim Britain’s third swimming gold today.
Roberts took the first step towards overtaking Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson as Britain’s most successful Paralympian ever with victory in the men’s S7 100m freestyle.
The 28-year-old recorded a Paralympic record of one minute 00.35 seconds to triumph.
Fellow Briton Matt Walker won bronze in 1min 04.17secs, while Jon Fox was fifth.
Elsewhere in the pool Redditch-born Claire Cashmore failed to make an impact in the 100m butterfly finishing eighth.
