Simmonds claims gold to cap stellar day in the pool for GB

Ellie Simmonds grabbed her first gold of the World Para Swimming World Series finale with a blistering 400m freestyle first in Berlin to top off GB’s most successful day in the pool so far.

The five-time Paralympic champion topped the podium, as she and her teammates claimed a glorious quintet of medals, with Alice Tai adding yet another world record to the list.

Simmonds had to wait until the final race of the night, however, to taste victory, as she and Maisie Summers-Newton went head-to-head for the entirety of the race, but for the 24-year-old to outlast her teenage compatriot for gold.

Tai set a historic mark with her fourth world record of the week in the 50m freestyle, becoming the first female S8 swimmer to dip below 24 seconds in the event, her disbelief palpable as she confirmed the fact at the finish line, shouting across to compatriot Jessica Jane Applegate, who finished seventh in the race.

Reece Dunn claimed his third medal of the meet and further underlined his status as one of the rising stars of para swimming as he shot to gold in the men’s 50m free to top the podium for the second time in Berlin.

Elsewhere, in an extraordinary race that saw three world and as many European records fall – half of those to British swimmers – it was Brock Whiston who topped the pile in the women’s 50m breaststroke.

Her 34.12s finish was the fastest ever seen from an SB8 swimmer, while Summers-Newton and Rebecca Redfern in fifth and eighth respectively set new European benchmarks.

Finally, Lewis White and Jordan Catchpole were fifth and tenth respectively in the men’s 400m freestyle as GB enter Sunday’s final sessions of racing hoping to add to their lofty tally.