British swimming sensation Iona Winnifrith, 13, wins Paralympics silver medal in incredible debut Games

PARALYMPICSGB star Iona Winnifrith has won a silver medal at the age of just 13.

The young swimmer claimed second place in the 100m breaststroke in the SB7 category.

Iona Winnifrith claimed Paralympic silver at the age of just 13PA

She has replicated her idol Ellie Simmonds by competing at a Paralympics before her 14th birthdayPA

She produced a lifetime best to claim silver behind neutral athlete Mariia Pavlova – who broke the world record.

Canada’s Tess Routliffe took bronze to round out the podium places.

Winnifrith, born on April 10, 2011, has a form of skeletal dysplasia which causes short stature due to short limbs.

She was first introduced to swimming when watching her brothers train at Tonbridge SC, before being invited to the club at the age of five.

At the 2024 European Championships, she came into the spotlight when she won three golds in the SB7 100m breaststroke, SM7 200m individual medley, and SM7 200m individual medley.

She also went on to win bronze in the S7 50m butterfly.

At the same time Iona also broke European record after she clocked up a time of 3:09.76 in the 200m.

Winnifrith’s idol Ellie Simmonds was also 13 when she competed at the Beijing Games 16 years ago.

Speaking to swimming.org before Paris, Winnifrith said: “Well I remember the Rio Olympics, but not really the Paralympic Games so it was really Tokyo when I first saw all the Paralympians.

“People like Maisie Summers-Newton, and I’ve always looked up to Ellie Simmonds with her being 13 as well when she was went to her first Games.

“She’s also got a similar disability to me, so her and Maisie are people I particularly look up to.

“It was just last year when I realised that I had a chance to make it to Paris.

“A medal would be incredible and potentially gold.”