Louise Fiddes of Hatfield Swimming Club is a Paralympic champion - upgrading her silver won at Tokyo 2020.
The Welwyn athlete had qualified fourth fastest for the final of the SB14 100m breaststroke but produced a sensational effort
The victory, her fourth Paralympic medal but first gold, came with a huge amount of shock.
"I genuinely can’t believe I won gold," she said, "I genuinely can’t.
"There were so many years when I felt like my dream was slipping away and only in this year, I started getting back to it.
"I’m in great shape, and I’ve got to thank Dan, my coach at home for that.
"It was pure determination, I came off that turn, had a little glance and I was like ‘I’m in gold position, I need to get down that other end’.”
She was also quick to thank her dad for always being there for her.
She added: "Always. Even as a little kid, every single day he has believed I can get gold. I can’t wait to see him, I can’t wait."
Fiddes took inspiration from quadruple amputee team-mate Ellie Challis before holding off the challenge of Brazilian twin sisters Debora and Beatriz Borges Carneiro.
The 20-year-old, who underwent surgery on each of her limbs having contracted meningitis aged 16 months, upgraded the silver she won in Tokyo by securing the S3 50m backstroke title in 53.56 seconds.
“I was on the edge of my seat even though she won it by a mile,” Fiddes said of Challis.
“If she can do it, I can do it. In Tokyo we both got silver, we both get gold here."
Challis, who had her legs amputated above the knee and her arms below the elbow, said: “I went to the worlds in 2019 and since then I’ve just gone up and up and up.
"It’s been the most incredible day ever. I was so confident in myself but it’s a swimming race, anything can happen. But wow that was fun."
This was the third final for Fiddes in Paris.
She had finished sixth in her first final, the S14 100m butterfly on Thursday before storming to bronze in the S14 200m freestyle on Saturday.
Back in Tokyo 2020, Fiddes had beaten Debora in this event, the GB star claiming silver to the Brazilian's fourth.
Beatriz had been third in the last Games.
Fiddes had one more chance for a medal when she swims in the SM14 200m individual medley on Wednesday.
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