Young swimmer Tupou Neiufi has captured New Zealand's first gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics, taking out the S8 100m backstroke.
Twenty-four hours after Kiwi star Sophie Pascoe opened the medal count with silver at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre, protégé Neiufi led from start to finish to win the S8 100m backstroke in 1m 16.84s.
Drawing lane five in a straight final, the 20-year-old Aucklander stormed off the blocks and reached halfway almost a second clear of nearest rival, Kateryna Denysenko of Ukraine, in 36.16s.
Neiufi extended her advantage down the final 50 metres to win by 1.47s, while American veteran Jessica Long finished stronger than anyone, narrowly failing to catch Denysenko for silver, but securing the 24th medal of her illustrious career.
As the Kiwi touched the wall ahead, Pascoe and other members of the para-swim team celebrated wildly in the stands.
"It's surreal," says Neiufi. "I don't even know how to feel.
"I was a bit confused and tired, but when I heard my teammate cheering, I should probably have a look and see what's going on. As soon as I saw the result on the board, I started getting emotional.
"I saw the camera and I thought 'no. don't cry', but the emotions got the best of me."
As an infant, she was hit by a car that left her with paralysis down the left side of her body, but debuted as a 15-year-old at the 2016 Rio de Janiero Paralympics, finishing seventh in this same event.
Two years later, Neiufi finished sixth over 100m backstroke at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, before taking second at the 2019 world para-swimming championships.
Earlier on Friday, cyclists Nicole Murray finished sixth and Anna Taylor eighth in the C4-5 500m time trial at the Izu Velodrome, won by Briton Kadeena Cox in a 34.812s world record.
Friday, August 27
SWIMMING
Women’s S8 100m backstroke final - Tupou Neiufi, 1st 1m 16.84s (gold medal)
CYCLING
Women’s C4-5 500m time trial final - Anna Taylor (C4), 6th 37.657s
Women’s C4-5 500m time trial final - Nicole Murray (C5), 8th 39.140s
WHEELCHAIR RUGBY
11pm Group B - Wheel Blacks v Canada (Mixed)
ATHLETICS
10:53pm Men’s Shot Put final - Ben Tuimaseve (F37)
