After winning gold on Thursday evening, Kearney was back in the first heat of the day in the S5 100m freestyle, which she won comfortably. In the final, she forged ahead of Ukrainian silver medallist Iryna Poida on the last length, with Italy’s Monica Boggioni taking bronze.
It was then Summers-Newton’s turn to shine on the world stage, powering ahead of the field to finish in two minutes 56.90 seconds, which was just outside her world record. Team-mate Grace Harvey placed fourth, while Bruce Dee finished in the same position in the men’s race.
Twin sisters Scarlett and Eliza Humphrey finished seventh and eighth respectively in their first Paralympics final in the S11 400m.
Meanwhile, US Para-swimmer Christie Raleigh Crossley, who won silver in the women’s S9 50m freestyle on Thursday evening, has claimed she is being targeted and bullied over her classification as a disabled athlete.
The 37-year-old, who set a world record in the heats, said she received negative comments on social media before the final, “including comments by a team member, a team-mate of mine”.
She added: “The fact it is a prominent team member of Team USA who has come after me the hardest, it’s just absolutely disgusting.”
