ParalympicsGB enjoyed their most successful day at Rio 2016 with 21 medals won across five different sports - more than the best single day at London 2012 (18) and Beijing 2008 (19).
It was a best ever Games haul for ParalympicsGB rowers with three golds and bronze won on finals day – golds for Rachel Morris (single sculls), Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whitley (mixed double scull) and the mixed coxed four, plus bronze for Tom Aggar, also in the singles scull.
The cyclists ended their Rio track campaign with a flourish as golds for Lora Turnham (3000m individual pursuit) and the men’s mixed C1-5 team sprinters, plus Neil Fachie’s silver (1000m time trial) and Sophie Thornhill’s bronze (3000m individual pursuit), which put them top the medal table.
Alison Patrick (PT5) and Lauren Steadman (PT4) took silver and Melissa Reid (PT5) bronze medals respectively in the inaugural women’s Paralympic triathlon, while in the evening, there were seven swimming medals, including a second gold for Bethany Firth in the 200m freestyle S14.
There were also three athletics medals, with Jo Butterfield setting a new world record on the way to the women’s F51 club throw title, and Richard Whitehead defending his T42 200m title ahead of teammate and bronze medallist David Henson.
More highlights from day 4 include:
Swimming
Defending Paralympic champion Jessica-Jane Applegate finished second behind teammate Bethany Firth in the women’s 200m freestyle S14 final, clocking a Paralympic record 2:03.30, to give Applegate her second medal of the Games.
Rebecca Redfern smashed her own 100m breaststroke SB13 world record, but it wasn’t quite enough to beat Uzbekistan’s Fotimakhon Amilova. Amilova was swimming from lane one and clocked a remarkable 1:12.45, while Redfern touched in 1:13.81, impressive considering her previous best was 1:15.96.
The first ParalympicsGB medal of the night went to Amy Marren who took bronze in the 200m individual medley SM9 final. The 2013 World and 2014 European champion had been lying in second going into the close stages, but was pipped to the wall by Spain’s Sarai Gascon.
There was also a 200m freestyle S14 silver for 18-year-old Paralympic debutant Tom Hamer, as he touched the wall in 1:56.58 behind Hong Kong’s Tang Wai Lok in a new Paralympic record of 1:56.32.
There was also a bronze for Josef Craig and Stephanie Millward in the men’s and women’s 100m freestyle S8 final respectively.
Triathlon
World champion Lauren Steadman made her Paralympic debut as a swimmer eight years ago, but has blossomed since switching sports, also winning the European title a few weeks ago in Portugal.
However, a tactical error in the swim - when she missed a buoy and had to swim an additional 25 metres - made the race even more difficult. In the end her time of 1:11.43 was over a minute behind American gold medallist Grace Norman, but Steadman admitted the error took its toll.
Her team-mate Faye McClelland came fourth, 37 seconds behind American bronze medallist Gladys Lemossu.
Alison Patrick with guide Hazel Smith, and Melissa Reid with guide Nicole Waters, claimed silver and bronze in the women’s PT5 race.
Boccia
Stephen McGuire insists he and his ParalympicsGB team-mates will put the disappointment of missing out on the mixed pairs BC4 final behind them in tomorrow’s bronze-medal match.
Two-time Paralympian McGuire was in action alongside Games newcomers Evie Edwards and Kieran Steer in the semi-final against hosts Brazil after they drew 2-2 with Hong Kong to top the pool.
The mixed pairs BC3 team of Scott McCowan, Patrick Wilson and Jamie McCowan won their final pool game against Singapore 3-1, but it was not enough to progress and will now instead turn their attentions to the individual event.
Equestrian
Lee Pearson insisted he could do no more after starting his Paralympic dressage campaign.The ten-time Paralympic champion topped the standings in the team test event 1B - a compulsory competition that will count towards overall scores when deciding the medals later in the Games.
On horse Zion, he scored 75.280% just ahead of nearest rival. Pearson - who won three golds at the last World Equestrian Games - is now in a solid position to add to his career medal tally in Wednesday’s championship test.
Table Tennis
Will Bayley has earned a second chance at Paralympic glory in the men’s singles class 7 table tennis after reaching the final for the second consecutive Games. He will have the chance to go one better than his London silver medal after beating Jordi Morales from Spain 3-1 in the semi-final. He faces local favourite Israel Stroh of Brazil, the man who beat him 3-1 in the group stages, in tomorrow’s final.
Rob Davies will also have a shot at winning a gold medal after beating Endre Major of Hungary 3-1 in his semi-final. After coming through 14-12 in the fourth game, Davies will face Young Dae Joo from Korea in the men’s singles class 1 final on Tuesday.
Barnsley’s Sue Gilroy was beaten 3-0 to Borislava Peric-Rankovic from Serbia in her semi-final and will compete in a bronze medal match tomorrow against Nadia Matic from Serbia.
Wheelchair Basketball
The men’s team successfully qualified for the quarter-finals with a game to spare after a 66-52 victory over Germany in Carioca Arena 1. The team now face 2012 bronze medallists USA, who are also unbeaten, on Monday to decide the group B winners.
GB’s Amy Conroy top scored with 15 points as the women’s wheelchair basketball secured their place in the knockout stages. Hosts Brazil were never ahead as head coach Miles Thompson’s team took control and silenced the home crowd to secure a 32-63 victory.
Wheelchair Tennis
Wimbledon champion Gordon Reid progressed safely into the third round of the wheelchair tennis singles in Rio with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Sweden’s Dan Wallin.
The multiple Grand Slam winner followed up his singles success with a win in his men’s doubles second round match with Alfie Hewett beating Ho Won Im and Gel Ha Lee of Korea 6-1 6-2. Hewitt also progressed through to the third round after a 6-1 6-2 victory over Sri Lanka Upali Rajakaruna in one hour and seven minutes.
Number three seed Jordanne Whiley beat Brazilian Natalia Mayara 6-4-6-1 in her second round singles match and followed that up with a women’s doubles quarter-finals victory with Lucy Shuker.
Whiley and Shuker beat Macarena Cabrillana and Francisca Mardones of Chile 6-0 6-0. Birmingham’s Whiley will face sixth seed from the Netherlands Diede de Groot in the singles next.
In the quad double’s semi-final, second seeds Jamie Burdekin and Andy Lapthorne were beaten 6-1 6-2 by Australian’s Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson and will now play for bronze.
Shooting
Shooter Stewart Nangle narrowly missed out on a place in the P3 mixed 25m pistol final, after finishing 11th in Sunday morning’s qualification.
He made a strong start in the precision stage with scores of 95, 97 and 95 in the three rounds to see him sit in sixth place, but slipped outside the qualifying places during the rapid stage as scores of 91, 93 and 91 saw him drop down to 11th place.
Click here to look ahead to day 5.