Para swimmer from Clacton storms into backstroke final with a 4 second lead
Ellie Challis used to swim at Clacton Swim Club
Ellie Challis, a para swimmer from Clacton, has taken the second heat in the Paralympic 50 metre backstroke.
She won with a time of 53:86, more than 4 seconds ahead of Spain's Maria Fernandez.
That puts her through to the final at 17:00.
Her old coach from Clacton Swim Club, Lisa Lawrence, has said:
"It was very much thinking outside the box to figure out how to take a few seconds off."
"We stopped tumble turns which took a few seconds off her time. We stopped kicking as it was causing resistance. Who tells a swimmer to stop kicking? But it worked!"
"Physical disabilities range from S1 to S10. Ellie is S2-S3 which means she's one of the most physically disabled swimmers."
"She went to see Winter the Dolphin from the film Dolphin Town at an aquarium in Florida. She saw him with his prosthetic towel and encouraged her to try swimming."
Challis will be hoping to beat her Tokyo Silver medal this evening in the final.