Louise Watkin equalled her British record in the S9 50m Freestyle this evening as she scored silver in her first individual event of the Games.
The four-time Paralympic medallist from Beijing had qualified fastest for the final and touched in 29.21 seconds for her medal behind China’s Lin Ping (29.12).
“I got bronze in Beijing so to move up to silver here, it feels unreal,” said Watkin.
“I put everything from this morning aside because I knew I had to focus on tonight and I’m just so happy with that result.
“It’s such a short race, you don’t have any time to make an error so to equal my best is really good as well and something I haven’t done for a long time.”
Charlotte Henshaw and Liz Johnson both made the podium with silver and bronze in the SB6 100m Breaststroke.
European record holder Henshaw had qualified fastest and emerged as the main contender for gold as she swam neck and neck with 14 year old Ukrainian sensation Viktoriia Savtsova down the back 50m.
The Ukranian took the touch in a desperate lunge for the wall but having finished fourth on her Paralympic debut in Beijing, Henshaw insisted she could not begrudge coming 0.03 behind Savtsova for silver in 1:39.16 – the second fastest time of her career.
“Right now I am so happy,” said Henshaw. “Maybe in a couple of days when I look back at it I’ll see this, that or the other where I could have got that 0.03 back.
“But I can’t express how happy I am to win a medal at home. I was just desperate not to finish fourth like last time.
“There were four of us there who could have made that podium so I’m just so happy to have won that medal – it hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
Defending Paralympic champion Johnson also clocked a season’s best as she came home third in 1:40.90.
And having now won a medal at three consecutive Paralympics, the 26 year old insisted it was a relief to have reached the podium after struggling to find her best form earlier in the season.
“I’m definitely glad I got a medal in front of a home crowd,” said Johnson.
“This morning was quite easy and I thought I had more tonight. I honestly don’t know why it didn’t happen.”
Teenager Hannah Russell continued to impress on her Paralympic debut as she won her third medal of London 2012.
The 16 year old set the second fastest time of her career as she clinched S12 100m Backstroke bronze in 1:10.15.
Both Russia’s Oxana Savchenko, who set a world record of 1:07.99, and Azerbaijan’s Natali Pronina (1:09.46) ducked under Russell’s British record 1:09.52.
Russell, who had already lifted silver in the 400m Freestyle and bronze in the 100m Butterfly, admitted she was expecting both swimmers to hit top gear in the final.
“I’m really pleased. I know it wasn’t a PB swim but I’m still really happy with it,” said Russell.
“I knew my rivals have a lot of experience and could easily go a lot faster in the final and I was prepared for that.
“Overall I think it’s been an amazing experience. It really is a dream come true for me to be here so to get medals on top is a bonus.”
Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
