Ellie Robinson marked her first Paralympic Games final by following in the footsteps of her hero Ellie Simmonds and securing gold.
The 15-year-old schoolgirl broke the Paralympic record in the S6 50m butterfly final as she touched the wall in 35.58 seconds.
And, on Saturday, the Northampton swimmer will compete against her idol Simmonds in the 50m freestyle.
Robinson, who will also be going in the 100m and 400m freestyle events, said:
“I still can’t believe it. I keep looking around to check they aren't going to take it off me, it is so weird.
“I gave it everything and maxed it. I put everything I have done in training into that race.
“I didn’t think it was possible and I don’t think it is possible now: I can’t believe it! I don’t think I am going to be able to believe. I feel like I am going to wake up and it is a dream.”
Lewis White was another teenager who celebrated his first Paralympic Games final in style by claiming bronze in the S9 400m freestyle.
The Swadlincote swimmer came strong in the second half of the race to surpass his personal best and finish ahead of Spain’s Jose Antonio Mari Alcaraz and fellow Brit Jonathan Booth, who came fifth.
The 18-year-old said:
“It was unreal, I was not expecting that. It has blown my mind. I am not overly sure what has happened, I am a bit dazed. Give it four years and it may sink it!
“Beating my personal best was more expected than the medal because I have put the hard work in so there is no reason why as long as I get my race plan right I can’t go out there and perform. But what I got out there from doing that is just absolutely unreal.”
The first British swimming medal of the night was won by Susie Rodgers as she claimed her fourth career Paralympic bronze in the S7 50m freestyle.
The 33-year-old, who posted a personal best of 33.26, said:
“I have got to be happy with a lifetime best and a medal, plus I didn’t get a medal in that event in London 2012.
“To be honest with you I was so pleased with how it went this morning; it was so tactical, I got myself in the lane that I wanted to be in and she [Denise Grahl] pushed me all the way. Fair play to her for breaking the European record.”
Rodgers was followed into the pool by six-time Paralympian Sascha Kindred but the 38-year-old from Hereford could only manage sixth in the S6 50m butterfly final.
St Stephen’s Jonathan Fox and New Milton’s Michael Jones were the first Brits to take to the pool in the evening session but they had to settle for sixth and seventh in the S7 50m freestyle.
Amy Marren, from Hornchurch, also came fifth in the S9 400m freestyle and will now go in six more events in the coming days.
And finally, after another evening to remember, Stephanie Slater ended the night on the podium after claiming silver in the S8 100m butterfly.