Poppy Maskill became a triple Paralympic champion at her first Games while Mark Tompsett, Olivia Newman-Baronius and Maisie Summers-Newton delivered brilliant bronzes as ParalympicsGB's swimmers further boosted their sensational medal count with one day of action remaining.
Maskill has shown with every swim at her maiden Paralympics just how comfortable she is at this level - and things were no different as she brought home gold in the Women's S14 100m Backstroke to become GB's most decorated athlete at these Games with a day to go, in a race that also saw Newman-Baronius claim her first individual Paralympic medal by finishing strong to take bronze.
There was also a backstroke bronze for Tompsett as he charged down the final 25m to claim a podium place at this first Games, with Summers-Newton starting the night by delivering her third medal of the meet and her first over freestyle with Women's S6 400m Freestyle bronze.
For Poppy, it was another strong delivery as fastest seed in lane four, the 19-year-old trailing Valeriia Shabalina by more than half-a-second at the turn but reducing that deficit entirely by 75m and then moving clear with every stroke in the closing stages to seal her third title, and fifth medal in all, of this incredible Games. Newman-Baronius was third for bronze, while Megan Neave - another on her Paralympic debut - put together a strong race to place fourth in a GB one-three-four combo.
"I was a little annoyed because it's not a personal best, but I'm still really, really happy because I've won, and that's the best you can get! It's a great achievement," said Poppy.
"I knew it could be a close race between me and Shabalina and Olivia as well, so I knew it was going to be tough. I just had to try hard and then see where I came.
"It [being the most decorated ParalympicsGB athlete in Paris] is really cool. I wouldn't have expected it to be me, I thought it would be Maisie or Alice [Tai], someone like that!"
![Mark Tompsett S14 100m Back BRONZE Paris 2024](https://www.aquaticsgb.com/media/images/53975735281_e9bbd63bee_o.width-300.jpg)
As for Newman-Baronius, she felt she had saved one of her best performances until last at a debut Games that also saw her play a crucial part in the stunning Mixed S14 4x100m Freestyle Relay triumph, as Maskill did as well.
"It was probably one of the best races I've had here. I've had a few off races, getting used to the crowd and everything is a lot, but I'm really happy with that, it went how my coach told me to swim it and that's really good," said Olivia.
"It definitely gives me confidence, but at the same time, a lot of the fourth places gave me more motivation to do better. It's good that I've been here and got that experience for the future.
"Everyone is really supportive on the team. I'm quite close with Bruce Dee and Harry Stewart, they give me a lot of support when I'm a bit upset after races, they make me feel a lot better about it. I've been rooming with Alice, she's a really good role model. She's told me so many stories and makes me feel better when I've not done as well as I want as she has been there."
In the men's event, the patience of Mark Tompsett was well and truly rewarded. He, alongside compatriot Louis Lawlor, had had to wait until day nine of the swimming programme to get into the water, looking strong in the heat to qualify second fastest and setting a new S14 British record of 59.19.
In the final, he was fourth at the turn as Will Ellard - already a triple medallist in Paris - sat third after an explosive opening 50m. As Australia's Benjamin Hance went clear for gold, a battle between Ellard, Tompsett and Brazil's Gabriel Bandeira for the other podium places unfolded, Bandeira pulling clear for silver and Tompsett's final strokes to the wall seeing him edge ahead of Ellard to claim that bronze.
"I feel amazing, I can't explain it, it just means everything. It has been a good day. Getting a British record and beating my PB that I haven't beaten in a while was great, and then almost getting there again tonight and winning the bronze is amazing," he said.
"It's amazing how quick it's all been, six months has gone in absolutely no time to get here now. Me a year ago wouldn't know what he's done, he'd have been like, 'what, no way!' It means everything now."
While Ellard was fourth in the final, Lawlor placed seventh, having set a superb new personal best of 1:00.41 in the heats and going just outside that in the evening.
The first Friday medal came courtesy of Maisie Summers-Newton, who was never outside the top three on her way to an inaugural Paralympic S6 400m Freestyle bronze.
"I'm really pleased. Going into the race, I was going in as third-fastest so I was hoping to come away with a medal, and to keep that position, I'm pleased. Ending the week like that, after my two golds earlier in the meet, I'm chuffed," said the now-five-time Paralympic medallist.
![Maisie Summers-Newton underwater 400m Freestyle](https://www.aquaticsgb.com/media/images/GettyImages-2170549401.width-800.jpg)
"There is a mixture of emotions at the end of it. You are so tired, but at the same time, it's really sad, because to have a Games like this, it's been so special. And then there's also joy as you can rest and recover now, and have fun supporting the rest of the team. We have been doing so amazingly, so I'm really looking forward to doing that tomorrow.
"The progress we've made as a team with all these new athletes is spectacular, I couldn't be more proud of them, they've all worked so hard. The attitude they all have here is brilliant, all working really hard and just focusing on the race you have at hand. I couldn't be more pleased for them all."