Tokyo Paralympics 2021 - Reece Dunn smashes world record to take gold as Great British swimming success continues

ByHarry Latham Coyle

Published 31/08/2021 at 11:08 GMT

Dunn secured his third gold dmedal of the Games with victory in the men's SM14 200 metres individual medley, while Great Britain also won silver and bronze in the women's SM14 200m IM. There were bronze medals for Hannah Russell and Stephen Clegg in the S12 100m freestyle events as a successful swimming programme at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre continuted for ParalympicsGB.

Great Britain's Reece Dunn smashed the men's SM14 200m individual medley world record on his way to a third gold medal at the Paralympic Games.

Dunn produced an outstanding swim to power away on the final freestyle leg at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre and win in a time of 2:08.02 ahead of Brazil's Gabriel Bandeira.

The gold continued a successful day for the British para-swimming team, with Stephen Clegg, Hannah Russell, Bethany Firth and Louise Fiddes also making appearances on the podium.

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Yet it was Dunn who produced the standout swim, staying with Bandeira through a breaststroke leg he does not prefer and then accelerating away with a quite magnificent final 50m freestyle.

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The 25-year-old, who had earlier won gold in Tokyo in both the 200m freestyle S14 and mixed 4x100m freestyle relay in the same classification, confessed he did not realise he had broken the world record after an exhausting swim left him collapsed on the side of the pool after touching for victory

"I had to max every single length. I didn't even know what time I went. Nice!" Dunn said to Channel 4.

Reece Dunn of Team Great Britain in action on his way to gold in the Men's 200m Individual Medley - SM14 on day 7 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Image credit: Getty Images

"I was just in agony that whole last 50. Breaststroke is difficult for me with the shoulder I've got at the moment. Every length it felt like it was going to crumble."

In the equivalent women's event, Britain filled out places two through four with three strong swims to secure two more medals.

Northern Irish star Bethany Firth could not haul in Valeriia Shabalina (RPC) on the final leg but took a comfortable silver ahead of two teammates.

Behind the leading duo, Jessica-Jane Applegate was pushed out of the medals in a ding-dong battle for bronze with Louise Fiddes, who capitalised after receiving a reprieve to progress from her heat to secure her third medal of the Paralympics.

Earlier, Stephen Clegg continued to crowd the mantelpiece at the Clegg family home as he secured an unexpected bronze medal in the men's 100m freestyle S12 with a British record time (53.43 seconds).

The sibling of double gold-medal winning para-athlete Libby and London 2012 bronze medallist James, Clegg is hoping to better his bronzes in his favoured 100m butterfly on Friday 3 September.

Hannah Russell also took away a bronze from her 100m freestyle S12 final.

Russell retained her backstroke title earlier at Tokyo 2020 and held off a fast finishing Alessia Berra (Italy) to get the touch for bronze in a time of 1:00.25.

Brazil's Maria Santiago completed a sprint freestyle double following her S12 50m free win.

In the women's S9 100m freestyle, ParalympicsGB's Toni Shaw missed out on a medal by just three one hundredths of a second.

The 18-year-old had been seventh at the turn but came back strongly, beaten on the touch by Mariana Ribeiro of Brazil to her left.

"Nobody likes to come fourth but it is such a competitive race," said Shaw. "I'm still really happy - it is what it is.

"It was a pretty good time. I had mostly been training for the 400m so it was going to be hard coming down to the sprint event."

New Zealand's Sophie Pascoe secured her 10th Paralympic gold medal with victory in a tight final.

Sophie Pascoe won her tenth Paralympic gold medal in the women's 100m freestlye S9

Image credit: Getty Images

Pascoe's long-time coach Roly Crichton has been in hospital in New Zealand after an illness and an emotional Pascoe dedicated her victory to Crichton.

"I was going into these Games not at my peak - it was a really rough year for me," Pascoe explained to Channel 4.

To get up on that podium and win the gold in the time that I did, it shows that I dug deep. I wanted it so badly. I didn't have a good performance in the water last night. It is a really proud moment for me after what I have been through.

"Unfortunately my coach couldn't be here with me due to an illness - he is now out of hospital and will be so stoked with this. We've been together for 20 years!"

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