SASCHA Kindred won Great Britain’s first Paralympic swimming gold after seeing off the Chinese challenge to complete a remarkable hat-trick of titles in the 200m individual medley.
The 30-year-old topped the podium in Sydney and Athens and repeated the trick in Beijing as he smashed the world record to touch home ahead of home favourites Yuanrun Yang and Qing Xu in a time of 2.42.19 minuytes.
But it wasn’t all plain sailing for the Hereford-based star with Yang leading the pack at the half-way stage only for Kindred to turn on the style in the final 100m.
After ending the Chinese challenge in the medley, Kindred is now targeting a third successive 100m breaststroke gold when he returns to the Water Cube tomorrow.
“That’s number five now, five golds at the Paralympics and I am very proud of myself,” he said. “To break the world record here is fantastic and to win gold in the fastest-time ever is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career.
“It was definitely in doubt. The Chinese guy who came second has been knocking times off all year. He won bronze in Athens with 3.01, so he has just gone 18 seconds faster and I knew he would be on my tail.
“But I’ve managed to hold him off and take the top prize. A hat- trick of golds in the medley and I’ve still got the breaststroke to come so I will try and do the same there.”
Earlier in the day Kindred had set a new Paralympic record of 2.48.35 minutes — four seconds quicker than his closest rival —to qualify for the final.
After watching Britain’s cycling team land three golds in the afternoon, the Leominster Kingfisher SC star challenged his swimming teammates, including his partner Nyree Lewis, to out medal the cycling contingent.
“I watched the cycling earlier and I managed to see two of the medals — but we want to do better than them,” added Kindred, who also has a silver from the Atlanta Games.
“They’ve got a brilliant team and we’ve got a brilliant team, full of youth and experience and hopefully we will bring a few medals home.
“It’s great to get a gold on the board as it makes the whole team rise to the occasion. She has got the backstroke to come and hopefully she can do the business.”
Meanwhile, Lewis failed to make it two out of two for the golden couple of the squad as she finished sixth in the 200m individual medley clocking a time of 3.23.93 minutes.
But with her favoured event, the 100m backstroke, to come tomorrow, Lewis refused to be downbeat as she bids to defend the crown she won in Athens.
“I’m not happy with my own performance but it just goes to show world rankings count for nothing — but I swam my heart out and that is all I can ask,” she said.
“This isn’t my main event I have got the 100m backstroke to come and hopefully I will do well in that. “I’m hoping to join Sascha with a gold, there shouldn’t be any surprises in the race and I’m hopeful of doing well.”
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