Swimmer Ellie Challis hails ‘the most incredible day ever’ after Paralympic gold

Quadruple amputee swimmer Ellie Challis celebrated “probably the most unbelievable day ever” after claiming Paralympic gold in Paris.

The 20-year-old, who underwent surgical procedure on every of her limbs having contracted meningitis aged 16 months, upgraded the silver she received in Tokyo by securing the S3 50m backstroke title in 53.56 seconds.

Louise Fiddes rapidly added the S14 girls’s 100m breaststroke crown to Britain’s spectacular medal tally after Stephen McGuire received boccia gold.

Pregnant archer Jodie Grinham later received the blended workforce compound competitors alongside Nathan Macqueen, beating Iran 155-151 within the ultimate.

Challis, who had her legs amputated above the knee and her arms under the elbow, mentioned: “I went to the worlds in 2019 and since then I’ve simply gone up and up and up.

“It’s been probably the most unbelievable day ever. I used to be so assured in myself nevertheless it’s a swimming race, something can occur. However wow that was enjoyable.”

Fiddes took inspiration from Challis to win her maiden Paralympic title, holding off the problem of Brazilian twin sisters Debora and Beatriz Borges Carneiro and including to the 200m freestyle bronze she received on Saturday.

“I used to be on the sting of my seat though she received it by a mile,” she mentioned of Challis.

“If she will be able to do it, I can do it. In Tokyo we each obtained silver, we each get gold right here.”

McGuire earlier claimed his maiden Paralympic medal.

The 40-year-old Scot, who made his debut at London 2012, defeated Colombian Edilson Chica 8-5 to take the BC4 males’s particular person title.

McGuire was a late addition to the ParalympicsGB squad for France after recovering from a damaged knee and femur sustained throughout a fall at his dwelling in 2022.

He produced an assured efficiency at South Paris Enviornment, with a five-point achieve on the third finish in the end proving decisive.

McGuire’s triumph got here a day after flatmate David Smith fell brief in his quest for a 3rd consecutive particular person BC1 title.

“I’ve performed this sport for 20 years and I’ve been in each doable ultimate, other than the Paralympics, I’ve by no means even been to the rostrum,” mentioned McGuire.

“I used to be beginning to really feel this occasion was getting away from me, two fourths in London, one other fourth in Rio, I didn’t even make the semis in Tokyo, it simply reveals why it is best to by no means quit.

“My flatmate is David Smith and he’s received three golds, he instructed me to don’t have any regrets and instructed me to not accept silver, simply go for it.”

British badminton gamers Dan Bethell and Krysten Coombs had been pressured to accept particular person silvers.

The 28-year-old Bethell was backed for gold within the SL3 males’s singles by former Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp following his opening win over Wojtek Czyz.

However, having been overwhelmed by Pramod Bhagat within the ultimate on the game’s debut in Tokyo three years in the past, Bethell misplaced a tense showdown 21-14 18-21 23-21 as Kumar Nitesh secured additional glory for India.

“It feels devastating, I got here right here for that gold,” he mentioned. “I obtained the silver in Tokyo and it was my ambition from the begin to go one higher however I simply couldn’t get it over the road right now.”

Talking in regards to the presence of Klopp in Paris, Bethell added: “I feel it was nice for the game, for him to be right here and promote the game.

“The best way the game’s been run, the crowds we’ve had, goes to do wonders for the game and to have him coming in right here and supporting my opponent was wonderful and it did simply add to the entire expertise.”

Coombs, a bronze medallist in Japan, misplaced 21-19 21-13 to France’s Charles Noakes within the males’s SH6 singles ultimate.

Britain’s wheelchair rugby workforce had been overwhelmed 50-48 by Australia within the bronze medal match after their title defence ended on Sunday with a semi-final defeat to the US.

Captain Gavin Walker mentioned: “The higher workforce beat us on the day. We go into one other rebuilding course of wanting in direction of LA (2028) now.”