Farmer Sammi Kinghorn wins Paralympic gold at the Paris Games

Sammi Kinghorn has been crowned a Paralympic champion after winning gold at the Paris Games.

Ms Kinghorn, from a farming family in the Scottish borders, claimed her first gold medal in the Women's T53 100m Final on Wednesday (September 4).

She set a world record of 15.64 seconds in the process.

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Having already won two silver medals at this year's Games in the 800m and 1500m, Ms Kinghorn was over the moon to finally be crowned a Paralympic champion.

"I just cannot believe that I have done that," the five-time Paralympic medalist said.

"I did not want to celebrate too early.

"I just wanted to definitely make sure that my name was at the top of that screen so it took a little moment to actually compose myself and go, ‘Oh my gosh, I have actually just done that'.

"My mind is still blown.

"I love training, when I had my accident my body was torn down to nothing and I rebuilt it.

"Training was something that helped me accept this ‘new me'.  

"I never thought I would be Paralympic champion so to be here as the fastest ever (in the Paralympics) is unbelievable. 

"Tokyo was my first Paralympic medals but with nobody in the stands and that for me was pretty heartbreaking.

"I have got 29 people out there with posters of my face.

"To do it in front of all them is so incredibly special because, although it is an individual sport, I have a huge team besides me."

The Farm Safety Foundation said it was incredibly proud of Ms Kinghorn's achievements, calling her the 'golden girl of the Paralympic Games'.

Maureen Campbell, chair of Sport Scotland, said she was proud of Ms Kinghorn's achievements at the Games so far.

"Sammi Kinghorn truly deserves this gold medal, adding to the two silvers she has won already," she added.

"Sammi has performed outstandingly at these Paralympic Games and to come away with three medals and a Paralympic record is sensational.

"Sammi has put in an extraordinary amount of effort into preparing for these games and truly deserves all the success that she has achieved in Paris.

"She is a real inspiration to the next generation of athletes." 

Ms Kinghorn is back in action today (September 5) as she competes in the T53 400m.

Last year, the now Paralympic Gold medalist spoke to Farmers Guardian about farm safety and how her upbringing on farm inspired the woman she is today.

You can listen back to the podcast below.

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