Silver for Redditch's Cashmore

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REDDITCH swimmer Claire Cashmore has won a sensational silver in the pool at the London 2012 Paralympics.

The 24-year-old qualified fastest for the final of the 100m breaststroke (SB8) but was unable to cause an upset as Russia's world and Paralympic champion Olesya Vladykina won the final in a new world record time of 1:17.17.

Despite swimming 1:20.39 - faster than the previous Paralympic Record and two one hundredths of a second outside of her own British record - Cashmore was always second best throughout the race.

But it is still an incredible achievement for Cashmore as it is her first silver medal at a Paralympic Games and follows on from the three bronze medals she won in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

Cashmore has two more chances to add to her medal tally when she competes in the Thursday's 200m Individual Medley (SM9) which she won bronze in at Athens in 2004 and the 100m Freestyle (S9) on Friday.

Redditch Paralympic Athlete Katrina Hart, who has Cerebral Palsy, begins her quest to add to her Commonwealth and World Championship titles when she takes part in the 100m (T37) on Sunday.

A hamstring injury hampered Hart's preparations for Beijing four years ago where she still made the final of the 100m.

Now she has her sights set on completing a Paralympic double by taking gold on Sunday and adding the 200m title to it on Wednesday.

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