World Record and a GOLD for Downie

Katherine Downie picked up her first gold medal as a member of the victorious world record breaking 4x100m freestyle relay team while 13-year-old Maddison Elliott became Australia’s youngest ever Paralympic gold medallist on night five of swimming action at the Aquatic Centre.

Saving the best til last, the Aussie team of Ellie Cole, Elliott, Kat Downie and Freney smashed the world record by some three seconds to win Australia’s ninth gold medal at the pool and 23rd medal in total to maintain second place on the swimming medal tally behind China.

The final leg, swam by Freney, had a 16m head start thanks to a super strong third leg from WAIS athlete Downie.

“The girls swam out of their skin for Australia and I just didn’t want to let them down at all,” said Freney. “I gave it my all and we ended up with the world record and the gold medal to boot, so I couldn’t be prouder of these girls.”

“Kat had a 16 metre head start for me which was really great, and I just wanted to keep that lead and I knew that the other girls from the other nations would go out hard but I held them off.”