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Hannah Russell Leads Britain Gold Rush With Dominant WR-Victory In Rio 100m Back
- Updated: September 15, 2016
Racing in her first Rio Paralympics final, Hannah Russell, a 20-year-old from Great Britain, set one of two world records to fall on the sixth day of action in the pool for one of the most dominant victories of the week.
On a day when Britain and Ukraine swimmers each claimed three golds with a world record in the mix, Russell’s 1:06.06 in the women’s S12 100m backstroke left the silver to Yaryna Matlo (UKR) almost six seconds back, on 1:11.97, the bronze to Maria Delgado Nadal (ESP) in 1:12.73.
Russell now has a full set of Olympic colours, having claimed silver in the S12 400m freestyle and bronzes in the 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke at a home Paralympics in London four years ago.
Russell said: “Having the four-year cycle of training behind me, I knew I could execute the race. Coming into this race, I purely focused on myself. I knew I had a fast swim. Watching the other swimmers winning medals and getting PBs, it really spurred me on.
“I did that world record a year and a half ago but I haven’t broken it again since. To do that here at a Paralympics and to get gold is the thing every athlete dreams of.”
Russell’s was one of three golds for Britain on day 6, the other two victories also delivering 1-2 finishes for teammates.
Michael Jones – courtesy of ParalympicsGB, onEdition 2016 ©
After Michael Jones and Jonathan Fox took gold and silver in the men’s S7 400m freestyle, Aaron Moores and Scott Quin matched that picture in the SB14 100m breaststroke.
On his Paralympic Games debut, Jones, 22, clocked 4:45.78 to take the 400m title ahead of Fox, on 4:49.00, the bronze to Andreas Skaar Bjornstad (NOR) in 4:53.61. Said Jones: “I never imagined this, it was a great race. It was another personal best so it’s phenomenal. I worked hard, moved to Manchester with the support of my parents and I’ve been trying to push on.
“It’s something I didn’t think it was possible. My dad passed away with 58 days to go to Rio so that race was as much for him as me. It’s not been an easy build into the meet because of that. It was hard to take initially but he has supported me for all these years and he would have wanted me to have swum my best.”
Aaron Moores – courtesy of ParalympicsGB – onEdition 2016 ©
Moore pipped Quin by just 0.03sec in 1:06.67, the bronze to Marc Evers (NED) in 1:07.64. Said Moore: “I just went all out and put everything on the last 50m. I had a talk to my coach who said to come back like a train and that’s what I did. I did not give up, I was thinking gold, gold, gold in my …
