Brits in contention for 10 medals at penultimate finals session of Tokyo Games

ParalympicsGB swimmers are in contention for 10 medals at the penultimate finals session of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

A total of nine final spots were sealed from this morning’s heats session, while the British team are also competing in the Women’s 34 points 4x100m Medley Relay.

Meanwhile, Ellie Challis rounded off her Paralympic campaign with another British record.

Three British swimmers reached the finals of the S6 400m Freestyle and the S14 100m Backstroke.

Ellie Simmonds was the quickest Brit to qualify from the S6 400m Freestyle heats as she finished second in 5:27.64, closely followed by Grace Harvey in third spot in 5:33.78.

The second heat saw Maisie Summers-Newton clock 5:33.78 to take third place.

In the Men’s S14 100m Backstroke, triple Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Reece Dunn, Jordan Catchpole and Louis Lawlor will all be eyeing a podium place.

Dunn was second in his heat in 1:00.37, followed by Lawlor who record a time of 1:01.43.

Catchpole also took second in his race in a time of 1:01.50.

Great experience

In the Women’s S14 100m Backstroke, Bethany Firth led home a British one-two in the heats.

The duo were the fastest qualifiers for the final as Firth clocked 1:07.16 to win the heat, with Jessica-Jane Applegate second in 1:08.41.

Toni Shaw was fourth fastest qualifier for the S9 100m Butterly finals as she touched home in 1:10.41 to take third place in her heat.

The Women’s 34 points 4x100m Medley Relay will be favourites for the gold having qualified in 4:36.31 – more than 22 seconds ahead of the second-quickest qualifiers America.

Meanwhile, Challis rounded off her Paralympics by swimming up a classification in the S4 50m Freestyle.

Her time of 54.94 broke the S3 50m Freestyle British record which had stood for almost 15 years.

It lowered Fran Williamson’s previous best of 1:03.16 set in Durban in December 2006 by 8.22 seconds.

Challis, who won a silver in the S3 50m Backstroke, said: “It’s been such a great experience.”

Lyndon Longhorne was sixth in his S4 50m Freestyle heat in 45.78 to finish 16th overall.