PARALYMPICS: Millward signs off with fourth silver (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

PARALYMPICS: Millward signs off with fourth silver

9:14pm Friday 7th September 2012 in Sport By Owen Houlihan

STEPHANIE Millward rounded off her superb London 2012 with a fourth silver medal tonight.

The Corsham swimmer took her tally of Games medals to five as she helped Great Britain to second behind Australia in a dramatic women's 4x100m medley (34 point) relay.

The 30-year-old, swimming the butterfly on the third leg, handed over to teammate Louise Watkin with Britain in fourth place.

But in a superb blanket finish, Watkin stormed through, overhauling the Russian and American swimmers, only to lose out on the touch to Australian Jacqueline Freney by just three one-hundredths of a second, Freney winning her eighth gold medal of the Paralympics

Australia's time of 4:53.95 was a new Oceanic record, with Britain - also featuring Heather Frederiksen and Claire Cashmore - just behind in 4:53.98 andthe USA third in 4:54.13.

Millward said: "We really did want the gold so we're all going to cry later. The gold we thought was within our reach and it was about point-nothing away which was a shame.

"I'm quite happy. Second is nothing to be upset about really."

MORE PARALYMPICS NEWS AND REACTION IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES