'Spine-tingling' silver as Kinghorn bolsters Paralympic medal haul

Sammi Kinghorn with her third silver medal to add to her gold

If medal winning is habitual, Sammi Kinghorn is hooked. She is relentless.

The 28-year-old just can’t keep out of the headlines at these Paralympics in Paris. And she can’t stop smiling either. No wonder.

The bright lights beamed down on her latest success inside the Stade de France, as she clutched another shining silver medal on the podium to add to her collection.

The Scot was edged out by world record holder Catherine Debrunner in the T53 400m final, having taken gold from her rival 24 hours earlier.

The medal haul now makes incredible reading. A first Paralympic gold and now three silvers in one Games. Six Paralympic medals in a career that is delivering stunning heights.

It's a collection Kinghorn will cherish, with a final opportunity on Friday in the universal relay to add to what is a spectacular return.

Talking to her in the immediate aftermath, you got the sense Kinghorn would happily remain here and do this for the rest of time. Groundhog Days of unlimited joy.

“It's incredible, four from four [medals]," she told BBC Scotland. “I definitely cannot complain about that. It's just been incredible.

“Every time, coming out into that stadium, it's spine-tingling and it's amazing. I'm just so glad that I get the opportunity to do this.

“I knew it would be very difficult to be close to her [Debrunner]. I just wanted to make sure that my silver was firmly my silver. I'm just really proud.

“This whole experience has been incredible.”

After achieving the ultimate in her sport, a gold medal, on Wednesday, Kinghorn conceded she found it challenging to keep focus ahead of another big evening. No wonder.

“I did find it quite difficult,” said explained. “I was like ‘oh my gosh’. My mind was just in overdrive. I kept running through the race in my head.

“It's so emotional. Every night when I’ve been getting home, I've just been putting my medals in a drawer and closing them.

"I haven't actually looked at them all together yet because this is my job. It's a mad job and I am fully aware that it’s an absolutely nuts job, but this is my job.

Mad job or not, Kinghorn is proving, when it gets serious, she delivers.