Swimming one-two headlines day six medal haul

Catch up on everything you might have missed on day six…

Faye Rogers stormed to Paralympic gold in the women’s 100m butterfly on the third anniversary of the car accident that changed her life.

Rogers, who trains at the University of Aberdeen, had competed at the 2021 Olympic Trials before a car accident saw her switch to para swimming.

Beating out GB teammate Callie-Ann Warrington by a second, the reigning world champion in the event came roaring back in the closing 50m to win her first Paralympic medal.

“It’s a bit emotional and it’s a big full circle moment and I couldn’t be prouder of how far I’ve come,” said Rogers. “I couldn’t have asked for more from the last three years.

“Coming into para sport has been the best thing, I couldn’t be more grateful for this journey and I have learned so much about myself.

“I’ve started getting messages from people in similar situations and it makes me so proud and grateful that my experiences are helping other people. There are so many people who could benefit from para sport, it’s just amazing.

“There are always days it feels like it’s never going to get any better but it does. There’s always a way to adapt to stuff and overcome stuff.

“I’ve found over the last three years there’s nothing I can’t do, it might just look a little bit different, and that’s absolutely OK. It has been such a whirlwind and I couldn’t be happier.”

Warrington’s silver rubber-stamped a British one-two and was also her maiden Paralympic podium finish as she touched the wall comfortably ahead of Canada’s Katie Cosgriffe in bronze medal position.

“To be able to race against Faye is just everything,” said Warrington.

“We have been saying to each other the last couple of months ‘come on, we can get the one-two’. It was lovely to have her next to me.”

Elsewhere, wheelchair fencer Piers Gilliver earned a battling silver in the men’s sabre.

The 29-year-old will defend his epee title later in the week and, after being beaten by Germany’s Maurice Schmidt in the gold medal match, admitted simply making it to Paris was an achievement in itself after a testing cycle.

“The last couple of years have been some of the hardest points of my life and there are points where I’ve questioned all sorts of things.

“There have been a lot of challenges and it’s been a tough one to get through, so it’s great to be able to even be here competing to be honest.”

At the Stade de France, wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn was stunned to win silver after initially miscalculating the number of laps left in the 1500m.

The Scot thought her chances of a medal had gone when she stopped pushing with 200m to go.

Kinghorn rallied to finish second and claim her second silver medal of the Games behind Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland, who set a new Paralympic record.

“I got a bit disorientated and stopped - it’s so loud in the stadium which we’re not used to,” said the 28-year-old, who still has another three medal chances to come.

“I’ve learned I need to count laps. But that noise is electric and I’m absolutely buzzing to come away with a medal.”

ParalympicsGB won two medals on the opening day of equestrian competition in teeming rain at Versailles.

Natasha Baker claimed bronze in the Grade III dressage event having been away from the sport for 20 months of the three years since Tokyo to start a family.

Baker, who gave birth to son Joshua in 2023, and horse Dawn Chorus reached the podium with a score of 73.167 with gold going to USA’s Rebecca Hart and silver to Rixt van der Horst of the Netherlands.

“After my time away, I still feel relatively new,” she said. “But my horse was amazing, I trust her with my life and we have the most amazing relationship. She’s just incredible, I call her Mary Poppins as she’s practically perfect in every way.”

Welsh rider Georgia Wilson and Sakura added a third bronze medal to the two they won in Tokyo at Grade II.

“I’m over the moon,” said Wilson. “The competition is really high which is exciting.”