Rio Paralympics 2016: Richard Whitehead helps make it a great eight for Team GB on a Super Sunday
RICHARD WHITEHEAD helped make it a great eight for Britain last night on a Super Sunday at the Paralympics.
The amputee sprinter stormed to victory in the T42 200m final to win GB’s seventh gold medal yesterday.
And it was quickly followed by Joanna Butterfield, 37, who won Britain’s final medal of an epic day when she threw a F51 world record of 22.81m in the women’s club throw.
Speed king Whitehead underlined his position as the pre-race favourite when he retained his title in a time of 23.39sec.
Dave Henson, an ex-serviceman, and friend of Prince Harry, won bronze in 24.74sec.
But it all began on water yesterday morning as three British rowing crews ruled the waves with three golds within the space of an hour. Rachel Morris, won hand-cycling gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and now she is a Paralympic champion on the water.
The 37-year-old, who was hit by a car two months before the London 2012 Games, reigned supreme in the arms-shoulders singles sculls.
Morris said: “It’s just the most incredible thing ever. It’s going to be one of those days where you have a cheesy grin fixed on your face.
“To get a gold in a second sport and after a pretty tough run-in has been amazing.
“It’s been a tough journey but I’ve had incredible support.”
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Then, shortly afterwards, there was success for Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls.
And then the mixed-coxed four of Grace Clough, Daniel Brown, Pamela Relph, James Fox and cox James Oliver added a further gold.
In the afternoon, there were two golds in the Velodrome to end a stunning track cycling programme.
First, Lora Turnham and pilot Corrine Hall won the women’s B 3,000m individual pursuit.
Shortly after that, Iraq and Afghan war veteran Jon-Allan Butterworth, Jody Cundy and Louis Rolfe claimed the C1-5 mixed team sprint crown.
In the evening, swimmer Bethany Firth became Paralympic champion for the second time in four days after winning the women’s S14 200m freestyle final.
She beat compatriot Jessica-Jane Applegate, 20, into second place.