The teenage sensation (pictured below) from Seaforde produced a sensational display as she finished with a winning time of 1min 08.93sec, some 1.4 seconds faster her qualifying time in this morning's heat.

Firth, who is still at school, was the fourth fastest qualifier this morning, but showed no sign of nerves in her first Paralympic Games as she led the final from start to finish to the delight of the huge Irish contingent at the Aquatics Centre.

Firth is a learning disability athlete, one of the first to compete at the London 2012 Paralympics since the cateogry has become eligible for the first time since Sydney 2000.

Australian Taylor Corry took silver in a time of 1:09.46 while Dutch swimmer Marlou van der Kulk took bronze in 1:09.50, but it was a race that belonged to Firth.

"The crowd were amazing, I could actually hear them under the water," said Firth.

"They were carrying me along and pushing me along and making me go faster.

"I don't think I could have done it without the crowds.


"It's amazing, I love it and words can't describe how I feel right now.

"I thought I came third and then I saw I was first and I was just over the moon."

Meanwhile, it was another strong night for ParalympicsGB in the pool, as they claimed five silvers and a bronze.

The Hynd brothers (pictured top) went into their final in good form after defending champion Sam qualified fastest and Oliver third fastest, only to have China's Wang Yinan (pictured below) spoil the party as he took gold by 0.77 seconds.

Debutant Oliver claimed silver leaving his older brother to take the bronze.

"I'm very tired but very happy," said Oliver.

"I knew the race had gone out very fast but I just tried to keep up.


Sam added: "I'm extremely proud of Oliver – he's done so well.

"I know he trains extremely hard and he deserves everything he gets."

Briton James Crisp claimed the 12th Paralympic medal of his career as he clinched silver in the S9 100m backstroke behind Australian star Matthew Cowdrey, who took his ninth Paralympic gold medal with the win.

Meanwhile Heather Frederiksen (pictured below) scooped her first medal of the Games, defending her silver from the Beijing 2008 Paralympics in the S8 400m freestyle.

The event was won by American star Jessica Long, who stormed clear to clock a world record 4:42.28 to take her second gold of the Paralympics and ninth gold overall.

Stephanie Millward claimed the first Paralympic medal of her career with silver in the S9 100m backstroke as she finished second behind Ellie Cole of Australia.

"A silver medal is incredible and I feel on top of the world," said Millward, who has multiple sclerosis.


"There was a time I thought I wouldn't be able to walk again, let alone swim so to win a Paralympic medal, whether it be gold, silver or bronze, proves you can keep on going through an illness.

"It was a bit of a shame to finish fifth in the 100m fly yesterday but looking back and that it what I did."

The same race saw disappointment for South Africa's Natalie du Toit who finished just outside the medals in fourth.

Du Toit, who won the S9 100m butterfly yesterday (August 30) to take her overall Paralympic medal collection to 11 golds, is set to retire after these Games and was aiming for seven golds at London 2012.

However, she will now be targeting six before drawing the curtain on her brilliant career.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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