Heather Frederiksen wept after securing her first gold medal of London when she successfully defended her title in the S8 100 metres backstroke tonight.
Frederiksen qualified comfortably fastest this morning and she was ahead at the turn.
It looked as though she would be attacked down the final length but she dug in and easily held off Jessica Long of the United States and Olesya Vladykina of Russia to win in one minute 17.00 seconds.
The 26-year-old has battled ill health over the past year which has seen her hospitalised or often bed-ridden, and she came into London after just six weeks' training .
The City of Salford swimmer peeled off her cap and cried following victory.
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