GORDON'S Samantha Kinghorn won a silver medal in the T53 400m race at the Paralympics in Tokyo earlier today.

Competing in a highly competitive field which included the reigning world champion, the defending Paralympic champion and the world record holder, Samantha was allocated lane six in the stadium and started off well in the wet conditions.

Eventual winner Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland overtook her with around 100m to go but Sammy held her nerve and finished in the runners up place with an impressive time of 57.25.

After the race the former Earlston High School pupil told C4: “I was literally like ‘Come on dig deep.’ I knew (Catherine) was going to be strong so when I felt her coming up my inside I was like ‘Stay with her, the closer you are to her the more of a chance of a medal.’ When I crossed the line, I was certain I was Bronze and I was overwhelmed with that and then I heard ‘Samantha Kinghorn silver medal and I was like Me? No Way.”

Earlier this week she narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing in fourth place in the T53 800m event then took bronze in the T53 100m event race to collect her first Paralympics medal.

She will now look forward to the 4x100m relay event which takes place later this week.

Samantha took up the sport in 2012, following an accident which left her unable to walk when she was 14 and after being introduced to the sport of wheelchair racing her determination, coupled with the support of her family, coach and others has now helped her achieve her goal of competing at the Paralympic Games and winning two medals.