“It was probably one of the best races I’ve had since I’ve been here,” reflected 17-year-old Maisie Summers-Newton after her impressive performance in the women’s 400m freestyle. The young swimmer, who has recently embraced the intensity of competing in front of large crowds, admitted, “I’ve had a few ‘off’ races as there has been quite a bit of stress, getting used to these crowds is quite a lot. But I’m really happy with that; it went how my coach told me to swim it.”

In a fiercely contested event, Summers-Newton clinched the bronze medal, marking a significant achievement not just for herself but for the entire ParalympicsGB team. Her medal was the 27th for the British team in the pool, officially surpassing the 26 medals collected during the Tokyo 2020 Games. This is a testament to the progress and resilience of adaptive sports in the UK.

Chasing Glory

During the race, Summers-Newton found herself in a passionate duel with Switzerland’s Nora Meister for the silver medal while China’s Yuyan Jiang took a commanding lead for gold. The excitement was palpable as Summers-Newton pushed through the water, ultimately finishing with a time of 5:23.36—just enough to secure her place on the podium.

“Going into it I was just going in third, so I was hoping to come away with a medal,” she said, clearly elated at the outcome. “To keep that position, I’m really pleased. Nora and I always have some good races. I thought I could pip her on that silver medal, but she flew on that last 200m.”

She continued, “Ending the week is brilliant, especially after my two golds earlier on in the week.” This sentiment reflects not only her personal triumph but also the broader success of the team, illustrating how perseverance and hard work can lead to extraordinary results.

A New Star Emerges

Mark Tompsett, another promising talent at just 17 years old, also made waves by clinching his first Paralympic medal in the men’s 100m backstroke. Watching his teammates excel throughout the week had only stoked his determination, and when the time came, he was ready to seize the moment. Clocking in at 59.21 seconds, Tompsett just missed setting a new British record; he had recorded 59.19 in the heats.

“It’s amazing; I don’t know how to explain it,” Tompsett exclaimed, brimming with excitement. “It means everything.” His journey to the medal podium illustrates the spirit of resilience and hard work that is emblematic of the Paralympic ethos.

Reflecting on his experiences, Tompsett said, “The first week was about watching the team race, so getting here myself is amazing. It has been a good day, beating my PB this morning, which I haven’t beaten for a while, then nearly matching it this evening.” These moments of personal achievement contribute not only to a sense of individual fulfilment but also to the collective strength and morale of the team.

The Bigger Picture

As the events unfold in the pool, it’s essential to recognise the deeper significance of these performances. The medal counts, the times, and the head-to-head battles all tell a story of determination, passion, and the unwavering spirit of athletes who have often overcome incredible obstacles to compete at this level. Each race for these athletes is not just a pursuit of victory but a statement of resilience against the odds.

The impressive achievements of competitors like Summers-Newton and Tompsett serve as an inspiration, not only to aspiring young athletes but to anyone facing challenges in their lives. Their journeys remind us that success is often forged in adversity and that the triumphs of today are built on the hard work of yesterday.

As the ParalympicsGB team continues to showcase their talents, they inspire a nation and foster a growing appreciation for adaptive sports. With each medal earned, they carve out a legacy that resonates far beyond the competition, inviting everyone to celebrate the power of sport to unite and uplift.

In the grand tapestry of the Paralympic Games, every race, every medal, and every athlete contributes to a narrative of hope and inspiration, highlighting the extraordinary capabilities of the human spirit.

WE’VE looked back on the good but what about the bad and ugly – for those who love a bit of sporting scandal 2009 certainly didn’t disappoint.

MAKING HEADLINES: Caster Semenya’s performances at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin ignited a worldwide media interest (Getty Images)

CASTER SEMENYA

Great Britain returned from the 2009 World Athletics Championships with six medals, their biggest haul in a decade.

Jess Ennis, Lisa Dobriskey and Jenny Meadows collected gold, silver and bronze respectively, but there was one woman who dominated the headlines in Berlin – Caster Semenya.

The South African arrived in the German capital having run 1:56.72 minutes three weeks previous, smashing her previous personal best by more than seven seconds to break Zola Budd’s long-standing South African record and become African 800m junior champion.

With a muscular build, the 18-year-old had been compared with former Olympic 800m champion Marie Mutola, whose gender was questioned throughout her career without any substance to the allegations.

Under International Association of Athletics Federations rules there are only three ways an athlete can be suspended from competition – doping, questions over nationality or suspicions over gender.

Semenya was cleared to run but, with impeccable timing, the IAAF announced it would be launching an official investigation into Semenya’s gender just three hours before the 800m final.

The teenager shrugged off the growing storm surrounding her and duly romped to victory in 1:55.45 ahead of Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei and Meadows.

But World Championship gold only put further strain on the relationship between the IAAF and Athletics South Africa, with rumour and counter-rumour, claim and counter-claim.

IAAF President Lamine Diack admitted the affair should have been handled more sensitively while ASA head Leonard Chuene stepped down from the IAAF Council, saying:  “Who are white people to question the makeup of an African girl? I say this is racism, pure and simple.”

But Semenya’s coach Wilfred Daniels believed the ASA should share the blame and quit over the “repulsive handling” of the debacle, while claiming his athlete was tricked into taking a gender test before going to Berlin.

Semenya returned to South Africa as a heroine, mobbed by fans on her arrival in Johannesburg, but as August turned to September, unsubstantiated reports emerged that the 800m world champion had failed a gender test.

Chuene later admitted he lied about whether Semenya had been gender tested before Berlin and was suspended by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, along with the ASA board and its members, pending a disciplinary investigation.  

Semenya had been expected to learn her fate on November 20 at the IAAF Council meeting in Monaco but was instead told the gender tests had yet to be completed.

While Usain Bolt’s exploits in Berlin were cause for fanfare, no party emerged from the Semenya debacle unscathed or with their reputation intact.

The affair continues to rumble on with only one truth – Semenya is 800m world champion. But whether we will see her defend her title in South Korea in 2011 is another matter altogether.

Posted: Wednesday 31st December 2008 | 1:46

REBECCA Adlington, who won two golds and became the first British woman swimmer to win an Olympic title in 48 years, has been awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours list.

HONOURED: Chris Hoy – now Sir Chris – with Rebecca Adlington OBE – two of the big names in the 2008 Queen’s New Years Honours list (Getty Images)

“I’m absolutely delighted to receive and accept the OBE – it is fantastic to be recognised in the New Year Honours List,” she said.

“There are so many amazing names on the list, it’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”

Sailor Ben Ainslie – who won a third Olympic gold in Beijing – is made a CBE, as is three-time Olympic champion cyclist Bradley Wiggins and multi-medal winning Paralympians Lee Pearson and David Roberts.

There are also OBEs for gold medal winning sailors Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Iain Percy and rower Steve Williams – who have all now won two Olympic golds.

Paralympic cyclists Aileen McGlynn, Ellen Hunter, Darren Kenny and Sarah Storey and swimmer Sacha Kindred are all awarded OBE’s for following up on Athens success with more golds in Beijing.

First-time Olympic champions – and has become recent tradition – have all been awarded an MBE.

They are canoeist Tim Brabants, cyclists Ed Clancy, Nicole Cooke, Paul Manning, Victoria Pendleton, Jason Kenny, Rebecca Romero, Jamie Staff and Geraint Thomas, rowers Andy Triggs Hodge, Mark Hunter, Tom James, Zack Purchase and Peter Reed, athlete Christine Ohuruogu, sailors Paul Goodison, Andrew Simpson and Pippa Wilson and boxer James Degale.

“I was absolutely gobsmacked when I heard the news and I’m so proud to have received this honour,” said DeGale, who won middleweight gold in Beijing.

“It was a dream come true to represent my country at the Olympics and to have won a gold medal, and this just caps a perfect year for me.”

Paralympians are also well represented on the MBE list – with cyclists Mark Bristow, Jody Cundy, Anthony Kappes, Simon Richardson, David Stone and Barney Storey, horse riders Sophie Christiansen and Anne Dunham, wheelchair athlete David Weir and swimmers Matthew Walker and Eleanor Simmonds all recognised.

“The last three months have been a whirlwind and, while feeling as though I am living in a fairy tale,” said Simmonds, who won two golds aged just 13.

The architects for the success of three of Britain’s top Olympic sports – cycling, rowing and sailing – have also been honoured for their achievements.

British Cycling performance director David Brailsford and Amateur Rowing Association elite team head David Tanner both receive CBEs while Stephen Park, of the Royal Yachting Association, is granted an OBE.

Phillip Lane, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, and Timothy Reddish, national performance director for British Disability Swimming, are awarded OBEs.

Terry Edwards – whose position as British Boxing’s head coach remains unclear despite guiding his team to one gold and two bronzes in Beijing – is awarded an MBE, as is Paralympic swimming coach David Pye.

RELATED: Terry Edwards future in British Boxing in doubt

RELATED: Welsh coach Pye wins coaching honour

There are also awards for two British Olympic Association officials with Bernard Cotton, director of the Team GB holding camp in Macau, and quartermaster Major Stephen Farley both named as MBEs.

RELATED: Macau’s bright lights are no distraction for British Olympic team

All those honoured were praised by Lord Coe, the double Olympic champion and chairman of London 2012 organisers, Locog.

He said: “Many congratulations to all the Olympians, Paralympians and their coaches honoured in the New Year honours list.

“The awards are a reward for their hard work, dedication, and wonderful performances in Beijing this summer which inspired the nation and made us all truly proud to be British.”

Champions of TomorrowSummer Sports

By Jenna Randall

I WASN’T involved in the unveiling of the Team GB kit for this summer’s Olympics – but from what I have seen I think it looks fantastic.

LOOKING GOOD: Jenna Randall is a fan of the kit the British Olympic team will wear at this summer’s Games

It is a different style to what we have had before and it will be great to have a look at it all when the time comes this summer.

That will be in the form of our training costumes but for our actual competition costumes things are slightly different.

We have a massive say in them and what they look like and what the design is. We work with a designer and we say the little bits and pieces that we like.

She has the final say but it is all a team effort and, because synchro is a judged sport, everything has to have a similar theme – your costumes have to match your whole routine.

So it won’t be Stella McCartney designing our competition costumes but the lady we are using is very well known for what she does and we have used her since the last Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

Actually the day the Team GB kit was revealed I was in the middle of very, very hard physical training – we are doing our routines with weights up to 3kgs currently.

We are pretty much drowning and our muscles are extremely tired, but now is the time to get it all done so that we are fully healthy when it is competition time.

We have already had our first competition of the year – the Spanish Winter Nationals in Barcelona – and we had a great competition.

The Ukraine, Spanish and Italian teams were there and it was great to see their routines and where we lie compared to them.

We got some good feedback from the judges on our routines. We are always changing them slightly and it means we can get them right for the Olympic qualifier that is coming up.

That is being held at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in London starting on April 18 and it also acts as the test event and it will probably be the biggest competition that I have done in England.

All the world nations will be there trying to qualify for the Olympics – it is almost a mini World Championships because of that.

It will be great for us to see how we are doing in the water against the best teams in the world – every competition we are trying to make improvements from the last one.

As a team we were lucky enough to get in the pool recently, we did a display after a swimming gala, and it was fantastic to see the pool in competition.

It was great to test the waters and we could see what it was going to be like for the qualifier and it was nice to show everyone our routine. Next time it’ll be for real though.

Jenna Randall is a member of Team Kellogg’s. To celebrate fifteen years of support for British Swimming, Kellogg’s is offering a ‘Free Kids Swim’ on 30 million packs of cereal to encourage families to take the plunge together. Collect a voucher on pack and take it down to your local participating pool.