September 5th 2024.
At just 13 years old, Iona Winnifrith made quite a splash at her Paralympic debut in Paris. The young British swimmer claimed a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke at La Defense Arena, setting a lifetime best in the process. Winnifrith, who has a form of skeletal dysplasia, is the youngest member of the current ParalympicsGB squad, but her age did not hold her back as she raced against some tough competition.
Her time of one minute and 29.69 seconds was second only to neutral athlete Mariia Pavlova, who broke a world record to take the gold. Canadian swimmer Tess Routliffe claimed the bronze, but it was Winnifrith who stole the spotlight with her impressive performance. The young Brit, who is already a double European Champion, was ecstatic to add a Paralympic medal to her collection.
"I'm really happy with that performance and getting a silver medal at 13 is really cool," Winnifrith said after her race. "I spoke with my coach to just try and keep up with the girls all the way through and then power it through the last length. As much as I wanted that gold, I just knew I had to fight for it, and that's what I did. I'm really proud."
Winnifrith's journey to the Paralympics has been inspired by five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds, whom she idolized growing up. Coincidentally, Winnifrith is just five months younger than Simmonds was when she claimed her first title at the Beijing Games in 2008. The young swimmer will have another chance to shine in the 50m event on Saturday, and all eyes will surely be on her.
Although Winnifrith is the youngest Paralympian on Team GB, she did not break the record for the youngest-ever British Paralympic medalist. That record still belongs to Joanne Rout, who at just 12 years old, won two Gold medals and three silvers at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics. Winnifrith may not have broken the record, but she has certainly made her mark in the Paralympic swimming world.
Thursday was a successful day for British teenagers at the Paralympics, with 14-year-old Bly Twomey also adding to Britain's medal count. Twomey secured her second Para-table tennis medal of the Games, winning bronze in the women's WS7 singles event. With these young athletes leading the way, Team GB remains in second place in the overall medal table, behind powerhouse China.
As for Winnifrith, her Paralympic journey has only just begun, and we can't wait to see what else she will achieve in the pool. With determination and talent beyond her years, there's no doubt she will continue to make a splash in the swimming world for years to come.
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