Para-swimming Worlds: Five golds for Great Britain including two world records
- Published
Ellie Challis won silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Tully Kearney and Ellie Challis set world records as Great Britain won five gold medals on day one of the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira.
Paralympic champion Kearney retained her title in the women's 50m freestyle S5 with a time of 34.07 seconds.
Teenager Challis won the women's 50m breaststroke SB2 final in 1:04.33secs.
There were three more golds for GB, with Bethany Firth leading a British one-two-three in the women's 200m freestyle S14.
The six-time Paralympic gold medallist, 26, was followed home by team-mates Jessica-Jane Applegate and Louise Fiddes.
Stephen Clegg, 26, claimed the men's S12 100m backstroke gold, ahead of Azerbaijan's Raman Salei with Spain's Borja Sanz Tamayo in third.
And three-time Paralympic champion Hannah Russell, 25, won the women's S12 100m backstroke final from Brazil's Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago and Spain's Maria Delgado Nadal.
Challis, who was the youngest in her race at only 18, showed great maturity to deal with some pre-race drama.
"I ripped two suits and I didn't even think I was making it to my race," she said.
"I literally ran from the changing room straight out. I had no time in the call room. To then do a world record is insane."
Kearney, 25, was thrilled with her performance after suffering a shoulder injury in the build-up to the event, which runs until Sunday, and she managed to lower her own record by 1.21secs.
"I'm still pretty shocked with that. This morning I didn't even know if I was going to race due to my injury, but I'm just over the moon," she said.
"I've had to be a lot more sensible and race smart, which is something I struggle with as a natural racer.
"But in order to keep my shoulder going throughout the meet, I've got to be sensible throughout the heats and then go for it in the final. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do as the meet progresses."
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