Wheelchair fencer Dimitri Coutya propels GB beyond gold medal haul from Tokyo

Wheelchair fencer Dimitri Coutya propelled Great Britain beyond their gold medal haul from Tokyo by becoming a double Paralympic champion in Paris.

The 26-year-old claimed the men’s individual epee category B crown to back up Wednesday’s evening success in the foil event.

Glory for Coutya at the Grand Palais pushed ParalympicsGB on to 42 golds in the French capital – one more than the team managed in Japan three years ago – with two days of competition remaining.

His achievement on Friday followed successes for cyclists Dame Sarah Storey and Sophie Unwin, athlete Ben Sandilands, wheelchair tennis doubles pair Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, and swimmer Poppy Maskill.

“I had no idea and I’m very proud to have been able to do that,” said Coutya, following a 15-10 victory over Thailand’s Visit Kingmanaw.

“Competing for ParalympicsGB is always such an honour and a privilege and the ethos they provide really helped push me this week.

“I was pretty convinced I was going to go out in the first round at one point, I was struggling, I wasn’t really feeling it.

“But I found my form as the day went on and it culminated in a gold medal.”

In the category A epee, Piers Gilliver won silver following a 15-12 defeat to China’s Gang Sun.

Earlier, Sandilands set a new world record to claim gold in the men’s T20 1500m.

The 21-year-old Scottish runner, who won world gold in the French capital last year, crossed the line in three minutes and 45.40 seconds.

His time shaved 0.1 secs off the previous global best, held by American Michael Brannigan since 2017.

Brannigan clinched bronze at Stade de France, 4.51 secs behind Sandilands, while silver medallist Sandro Baessa of Portugal was 4.06 secs off the pace.

Games debutant Sandilands took the title from fellow Scot Owen Miller, who won gold in three mins and 54.57 secs at Tokyo but is not in France due to injury.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Sandilands. “I’ve put in so much hard work.

“I knew I had the speed in me at the end from my training.

“The timing has to be perfect and I went for it and the world record means a lot – it’s incredible.”

In the pool, Maskill delivered her third gold of the Games by winning the women’s S14 100m backstroke in a time of one minute and 5.74 secs, while team-mate Olivia Newman-Baronius took bronze.

“I was a little bit annoyed because it was not a personal best but it was still a gold so I can’t be too annoyed,” said Maskill, who has also picked up a pair of silvers in France.

“I’ve stacked the medals in my room at the moment but I want to put them on display in my living room so I can see them when I get home.”

Maisie Summers-Newton won bronze in the women’s S6 400m freestyle, before 17-year-old Mark Tompsett matched that achievement in the men’s S14 100m backstroke.

Earlier, wheelchair racer Marcus Perrineau-Daley won silver in the men’s T52 100m with a time of 17.27 secs, 0.57 secs behind Belgian Maxime Carabin.

“I made three mistakes today and I still won a silver,” said the 35-year-old Games debutant.

“I am not trying to boast, but when I do get it right, I am destined for gold.”

Britain’s 4x100m universal relay team of Zac Shaw, Jonnie Peacock, Ali Smith and Sammi Kinghorn won silver behind China in a time of 46.01 secs, while there was a second-successive F46 javelin bronze for Rio 2016 champion Hollie Arnold.