GB’s Maskill and Kearney Win Gold: Teenage swimmer Poppy Maskill became the first British Paralympian to be crowned a gold medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
The 19-year-old swimmer, who is from Cheshire, set a new world record as she won the women’s S14 100m butterfly, describing the experience as ‘unreal’.
Later in the week, a teammate, Tully Kearney, clinched victory in the S5 200m freestyle, admitting to having experienced ‘revenge’ for the second position she occupied in Tokyo.
William Ellard was second in the S14 men’s 100m butterfly as Great Britain made a bright start to their swimming campaign on Thursday night.
It was Maskill who led the heats on Thursday morning and again in the final, becoming half a second ahead at the bend and powering home in one minute 3.00 seconds, 0.33 clear of the mark jointly held by her teammate Olivia Newman-Baronius and Russian athlete Valeriia Shabalina, who is participating in Paris for the Neutral Paralympic Athletic team.
Yui Lam Chan from Hong Kong was the second one to finish the race in 1:03.70, with Shabalina third (1:04.4) and Newman-Baronius, who out of the medals, in fourth (1:04.59).
Speaking to reporters, Maskill said, ‘It’s unreal and it feels weird to be the first gold medalist of the team.’ Maskill was the second to Chan at the last year’s World Championships in Manchester.
I just said to myself I want to give my best in swimming and let the results be as they may. In training, I have tried my best to ensure that I make the right calls and follow what all people instruct me to.
“It gives me more confidence for my other events. ”
Maskill is also a powerful backstroke swimmer and she will also swim for gold in the 100m race, which will be held on Friday, 6th September.
Kearney thrilled with freestyle gold
Kearney, the winner of the Tokyo double gold 100m and silver 200m, has had it rough and fell ill to concussion, a shifted racing category—a change that was reversed—and mental health.
She got there fastest and though like the last straw, a spirited and determined push by Ukraine’s Iryna Poida in a spirited straight-face of the last lap saw her win in a time of 2:46.50, which is pace setter Poida’s 2:27.16.
This is what Kearney had to say: ‘I really wanted redemption for Tokyo.’ I never liked that silver first so to come and get gold is great and I am happy with it.
It’s been really tough with the concussion and then over the last three or four months battling with my mental health so to get here means the world to me.
A few weeks ago, we were not sure if I was even going to come out and compete as well as how many events I would be able to participate in so I wanted to thank the team for all the support they have shown me.
Ellard happy with silver
Maskill’s victory followed a close loss to fellow countryman Ellard, who finished second in the men’s race.
The Baker, an 18-year-old from Suffolk, sprinted through the first half with Alexander Hillhouse in fourth place, but the 20-year-old Dane emerged in the second half of the race in a new Paralympic record of 54. Both Collins in the first heat and Briton in the second recorded 61 seconds, while Collins recorded 54 seconds. 86.
“I didn’t expect that I would be comfortable with the silver but I am,” stated Ellard. They were useful to me as it provides more confidence for my 200-meter freestyle, which is my best event.
The media were interviewing Ellard when Maskill was collecting her gold and this pleased the man to the brim to see his partner triumph.
”It is big for the team and a new record in personal achievements for Poppy as well,” he said.
“She was targeting to perform in the 100m backstroke later in the program, but this must be a pleasant surprise for her.”
Didier delights French crowd
Earlier, La Defense Arena was brought to its peak for the first race of the night, where France’s Ugo Didier overcame Italian Simone Barlaam for the gold in the men’s S9 400m freestyle.
Didier, 22, had beaten Australian William Martin in Tokyo and has faced Barlaam quite often in his category, though Barlaam has won most of the time.
This was also reminiscent of the previous lap where Barlaam appeared to dominate most of the race until Didier this time slowly worked his way through and in the last 50m he pulled ahead and won the race much to the delight of a home crowd.
But “it was unbelievable; the cheering for me helped me a lot, he said.” This is probably something that I could not do without the crowd.
There is much I wanted for this medal but the meaning is for the feelings and to have shared them with all my family and friends.
