Silver lining for swim stars Elliott and Cole

NSWIS swimmers Maddison Elliott (pictured) and Ellie Cole have both added to their burgeoning Paralympic medal hauls with silver medals in the pool on day 6.

Just two days after she won gold in the women’s S8 100m freestyle, Elliott clocked 1:17.16 to claim the silver in the S8 100m backstroke behind Great Britain’s Stephanie Millwood who set a new Paralympic record of 1:13.02.

“I just wanted to do a good heat time and then go faster in the final, and I ended up with a silver medal from an outside lane, so that’s pretty cool,” Elliott told the Australian Paralympic Committee’s media team.

“I got a gold on night four and now a silver to add to the collection on night six, so hopefully there are a few more come.”

At just 17, Elliott now has six Paralympic medals – two gold, a pair of silver and a brace of bronze – with several more chances to add to her tally in Rio.

Meanwhile Cole won the 12^th medal of her illustrious Paralympic career with silver in the women’s S9 50m freestyle. It was her third medal in Rio, having already grabbed silver in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle.

Cole hit the wall in 29.13 to finish only behind her nemesis at these Games, American Michelle Konkoly, who set a Paralympic record of 28.29.

“The 50 freestyle is always down to the touch and it’s one of those races that you don’t know what you’ve done until you finish,” Cole said.

“I’m really looking forward to the end of the program. We have our two relays and Australia just love relays, and it’s one of the reasons why I really enjoy swimming and then I’ve got the 100m backstroke at the end. I’m going into that ranked second but do have the world record so it’s going to be a really tight race.”

Like Elliott, 24-year-old Cole, who is swimming in her third Paralympics, has several more chances to add to her overall medal tally later in the swimming program, including the 100m backstroke event she won in London four years ago.

Three NSWIS swimmers will be in the pool on day 7 with Jenna Jones and Prue Watt contesting the women’s S13 50m freestyle and Sean Russo swimming in the corresponding men’s event.