Paralympic Review

Great Britain’s swimmers proved the most prosperous medal winners of the British sports as they claimed 39 of 120 British medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Day One

Jon Fox kicked off Great Britain’s medal charge with gold on the opening day, breaking his own S7 100m Backstroke world record in the heats before storming to the first Paralympic gold of his career. Nyree Kindred won a Paralympic medal for the fourth consecutive Games with S6 100m Backstroke while 16-year old S12 swimmer Hannah Russell also won silver in her first event of her first Games

Medal winners

• Jon Fox S7 100m Backstroke Gold
• Nyree Kindred S6 100m Backstroke Silver
• Hannah Russell S12 400m Freestyle Silver

Medal tallies

• Day: Three (One gold, two silver)
• Games: Three (One gold, two silver)

Day Two

Brothers Oliver and Sam Hynd joined each other on the Paralympic podium for the first time as they sealed silver and bronze respectively in the S8 400m Freestyle. There were another four silvers for the Brits on the second day, including one for 18-year old Aaron Moores in the first S14 swimming event of the Games.

Medal winners

• Oliver Hynd S8 400m Freestyle Silver
• Heather Frederiksen S8 400m Freestyle Silver
• James Crisp S9 100m Backstroke Silver
• Stephanie Millward S9 100m Backstroke Silver
• Aaron Moores S14 100m Backstroke Silver
• Sam Hynd S9 400m Freestyle Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Six (Five silver, one bronze)
• Games: Nine (One gold, seven silver, one bronze)

Day Three

Ellie Simmonds won her first gold in one of the most memorable races of London 2012 as she pulled clear of American rival Victoria Arlen in the final length of the S6 400m Freestyle to take defend her title, smashing the world record by more than five seconds in the process. Matt Whorwood won bronze in the men’s equivalent while Claire Cashmore medalled for the third consecutive Games with SB8 100m Breaststroke silver.

Medal winners

• Ellie Simmonds S6 400m Freestyle Gold
• Claire Cashmore SB8 100m Breaststroke Silver
• Matt Whorwood S6 400m Freestyle Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Three (One gold, one silver, one bronze)
• Games: 12 (Two gold, eight silver, two bronze)

Day Four

Jessica-Jane Applegate was Great Britain’s golden girl on day four as the 16-year old came from third at the final turn to win the S14 200m Freestyle final in a Paralympic record. Another British teenager, Hannah Russell, won her second medal of the Games with S12 100m Butterfly bronze while James Clegg also won 100m Fly bronze in the men’s S12 classification.

Medal winners

• Jessica-Jane Applegate S14 200m Freestyle Gold
• Hannah Russell S12 100m Butterfly Bronze
• James Clegg S12 100m Butterfly Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Three (One gold, two bronze)
• Games: 15 (Three gold, eight silver, four bronze)

Day Five

Ellie Simmonds proved the class in the SM6 200m Individual Medley field as she lowered her world record in both the heats and finals to take her second gold in three days. Natalie Jones joined Simmonds on the podium with bronze while there were also individual medals for Sascha Kindred and Susie Rodgers. Paralympic newcomer Rodgers then won a second bronze at the end of the night, teaming up with Louise Watkin, Claire Cashmore and Stephanie Millward in the 34pt 4x100m Freestyle Relay.

Medal winners

• Ellie Simmonds SM6 200m Individual Medley Gold
• Sascha Kindred SM6 200m Individual Medley Silver
• Natalie Jones SM6 200m Individual Medley Bronze
• Susie Rodgers S7 100m Freestyle Bronze
• Rodgers, Watkin, Cashmore, Millward 34pt 4x100m Freestyle Relay Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Five (One gold, one silver, three bronze)
• Games: 20 (Four gold, nine silver, seven bronze)

Day Six

Heather Frederiksen defended her S8 100m Backstroke title in a dramatic final on day six at London Aquatics Centre. After turning in a world record time at the half-way stage, the Brit was roared to the wall by the home crowd as USA’s Jessica Long and Russia’s Olesya Vladykina closed in over the last 25m. Stephanie Millward won her third medal of the Games with a European record in the S9 400m Freestyle while there were further bronze medals for Ellie Simmonds, Oliver Hynd and Matthew Walker.

Medal winners

• Heather Frederiksen S8 100m Backstroke Gold
• Stephanie Millward S9 400m Freestyle Silver
• Ellie Simmonds S6 50m Freestyle Bronze
• Oliver Hynd S8 100m Backstroke Bronze
• Matthew Walker S7 50m Freestyle Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Five (One gold, one silver, three bronze)
• Games: 25 (Five gold, 10 silver, 10 bronze)

Day Seven

After a silver and a bronze, Oliver Hynd completed his set of Paralympic medals with SM8 200m Individual Medley gold on day seven. The 17-year old dominated the final in his favourite event, lowering his European record to take the title. There were five other medals for the Brits on a successful night in the pool. Charlotte Henshaw and Liz Johnson won silver and bronze respectively in the SB6 100m Breaststroke, Louise Watkin won S9 50m Freestyle silver, Rob Welbourn S9 400m Freestyle bronze and Hannah Russell S12 100m Backstroke bronze. .

Medal winners

• Oliver Hynd SM8 200m Individual Medley Gold
• Charlotte Henshaw SB6 100m Breaststroke Silver
• Louise Watkin S9 50m Freestyle Silver
• Rob Welbourn S9 400m Freestyle Bronze
• Liz Johnson SB6 100m Breaststroke Bronze
• Hannah Russell S12 100m Backstroke Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Six (One gold, two silver, three bronze)
• Games: 31 (Six gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze)

Day Eight

Josef Craig was the star on day eight as he won the gold which led to him being named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year for 2012. The 15-year old knocked eight seconds off his best to break the world record in the S7 400m Freestyle heats, then sliced another three seconds off that time to win gold in the final. Stephanie Millward and Louise Watkin won silver and bronze respectively in the SM9 200m Individual Medley while Heather Frederiksen and Susie Rodgers both won their third medals of the Games.

Medal winners

• Josef Craig S7 400m Freestyle Gold
• Stephanie Millward SM9 200m Individual Medley Silver
• Heather Frederiksen S8 100m Freestyle Silver
• Susie Rodgers S7 400m Freestyle Bronze
• Louise Watkins SM9 200m Individual Medley Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Five (One gold, two silver, two bronze)
• Games: 36 (Seven gold, 14 silver, 15 bronze)

Day Nine

The women’s 34pt 4x100m Medley Relay final provided one of the most thrilling races of the Games on the penultimate day in the Aquatics Centre. The British trio of Heather Frederiksen, Claire Cashmore and Steph Millward handed over to anchor Louise Watkin in fifth. The 20-year old tore past international rivals from Spain, Russia and USA and touched just 0.03 shy of Australia’s Jacqueline Freney in the final lunge for the wall.

Medal winners

• Frederiksen, Cashmore, Millward, Watkin 34pt 4x100m Medley Relay Silver

Medal tallies

• Day: One (One silver)
• Games: 37 (Seven gold, 15 silver, 15 bronze)

Day Ten

Paralympic poster girl Ellie Simmonds signed off from a memorable home Games with silver in the S6 100m Freestyle. It took a world record from USA’s Victoria Arlen to deny Simmonds a third gold as the Brit set a European record to claim silver and her fourth medal of the Games. Having waited all Games for her main event, Harriet Lee lowered her British record in both heats and final of the SB9 100m Breaststroke to win bronze on her Paralympic debut.

Medal winners

• Ellie Simmonds S6 100m Freestyle Silver
• Harriet Lee SB9 100m Breaststroke Bronze

Medal tallies

• Day: Two (One silver, one bronze)
• Games: 39 (Seven gold, 16 silver, 16 bronze)