The 20-year-old clinched his first Paralympic gold in a time of 4min 25.16sec, staving off the challenge from Italy's Alberto Amodeo, who was 0.77 behind in second.

Nikolaev started strongly by completing the first 50m in 29.48sec, and finished well with a time of 32.88sec in the final 50m.

Earlier in the morning, Nikolaev topped the second qualifying heat in 4:31.88.

In the men's S8 100m freestyle at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Nikolaev had already earned a silver medal, finishing just 0.32 seconds behind the winner Ben Popham of Australia.

He also helped the RPC to finish fifth in the men's 4x100m freestyle 34 points relay.

Born and based in Salavat, the Para-swimmer took up the sport aged six, and made his international debut in 2016.

Before Tokyo he enjoyed success at the most recent editions of the European and World Championships.

At the World Para Swimming Championships in London in 2019, Nikolaev earned gold medals in the S8 400m freestyle and the 4x100m medley 34 points relay, as well as a bronze in the S8 100m freestyle.

He also narrowly missed out on medals in the 4x100m freestyle 34 points relay and the S8 50m freestyle.

At the delayed 2020 World Para Swimming European Championships in Funchal in Portugal, held in May 2021, Nikolaev secured two gold and two silver medals.

He triumphed in the men's S8 400m freestyle and 4x100m medley 34 points relay, and finished second in the S8 50m and 100m freestyle events.

In 2020, he was awarded the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation.