Relay team leads British success

EUROPEAN PARALYMPIC SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Venue: Reykjavik, Iceland Dates: 18-24 October
Coverage: Highlights on the red button and BBC Sport website; live commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra

Britain picked up eight gold medals at the European Paralympic Swimming Championships in Iceland on Tuesday.

The women's 34pt 4x100m relay team beat the nine-year-old world record by 13 seconds with a winning time of four minutes, 54.47 seconds.

Ellie Simmonds won her second gold in the S6 50m freestyle and Heather Frederiksen won the S8 400m freestyle.

Sam Hynd, Anthony Stephens, Craig Rodgie, Matthew Walker and Stephanie Bird completed Britain's gold haul.

In the relay, Heather Frederiksen got the team off to a quick start while Claire Cashmore and Stephanie Millward put in strong laps.

Louise Watkin took over the race in second place but within 15m she had taken the lead from the Russian team and powered to victory.

"It makes you proud to be British"

"That topped off a great night for the team," she said.

"The girls did so well and I knew I had to keep it going. They put in a great performance and I knew I had to do it for them."

Double Paralympic champion Simmonds also came from behind to take her title.

"That was a good race for me. I went into the race wanting to go below 37 seconds and I did that, which was great," she said.

"I knew I wanted to go fast and I knew they would be ahead at the start but I worked to pull it back."

World record holder Frederiksen won her S8 400m freestyle race in 4:49.79, more than 45 seconds ahead of Julia Kaus.

Paralympic champion Hynd took gold in the men's S8 400m freestyle in 4:27.69 with Britain's Sean Fraser winning the bronze in 4:46.67.

"I was hoping to dip under the world record but it wasn't meant to be this evening and you can only do your best on the night," said Hynd.

606: DEBATE
Give your view on the British swimmers' success

Stephens won the S5 50m backstroke in 41.20 and Rodgie took the S14 100m backstroke in 1:06.98, both new British records.

Walker triumphed in the S7 50m freestyle in 28.31 and Bird came home first in the S14 100m backstroke in a new personal best of 1:16.67.

Walker said: "It is about time I won an individual gold medal. It feels great. It was great to hear the National Anthem. It makes you proud to be British."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
2009 IPC European Swimming Championships
British Swimming
Ouch!
ParalympicsGB
International Paralympic Committee
Parasport
English Federation of Disability Sport
Scottish Disability Sport
Federation of Disability Sport Wales
Disability Sport Events
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites