Thursday, 12 September 2019:
 | | TIFFANY THOMAS KANE of Australia (gold) after the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB7 Final of the London World Para-swimming Allianz Championships at Aquatics Centre in London, England. | |
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Australia have finally struck gold at the world Para swimming titles in London thanks to Sydney teenager Tiffany Thomas Kane.
The 18-year-old from Sydney backed up from setting a new championship record in the heats to claim the SB7 100m breaststroke final on the titles' third night - to add to Australia's four silver and four bronze.
The reigning Rio Paralympic and 2015 world SB6 world champion was overwhelmed after finally breaking Australia's gold medal duck in her re-classified event at the titles.
"I'm still just in so much shock. I'm so happy to have brought the first gold medal home for Australia," she said.
"In that last 25 metres my body was dying but I knew I had to push all the way to get that gold medal and I did.
"I could hear my teammates in the crowd and thought 'the team is behind me' so I've got to race well for them."
Thomas Kane's triumph came just moments after veteran Paralympic star Blake Cochrane claimed bronze in the men's SB7 100m breaststroke final.
Before the success of Thomas Kane and Cochrane, it looked like it may be another frustrating night for the Australians.
Monique Murphy (S10 400m freestyle) and Rowan Crothers (S10 400m freestyle) finished fourth on the third night of competition along with rookie Jake Michel (SB14 100m breaststroke) who fell just 0.85 of a second short of bronze.
With four nights left of the Para world swimming titles, Australia sit in 13th spot on the medal table.
