Golden glow for Fisher with world-record swim

School of Psychology student Mary Fisher has blazed her way to a world-record swim winning a gold medal to end the London Paralympics on a high.

A week after winning two silvers and a bronze, the visually impaired 19 year-old finished the games in style, winning the S11 200m individual medley in a world record time of two minutes, 46 seconds, point 91 (2:46.91).

Ms Fisher, a first-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in psychology at the Wellington campus, won her other medals in the 100-metre backstroke and 100-metre freestyle (both silver) and 50-metre freestyle (bronze) respectively.

Swimming in the S11 class requires her to wear blackened goggles and for someone to tap her as she approaches the swimming pool wall.

Campus student advisor (Disability) Heather McCallum says Ms Fisher had to overcome other challenges before getting to London too.

“She is a straight A student in spite of missing classes in semester one due to having to attend training camps.”

Ms Fisher, who studies using electronic formats for her course work, had to take other tests she would otherwise have missed, in advance of her departure for her first Paralympic Games.

All of her lecturers had been incredibly supportive and excited for her success, Ms McCallum says of the Upper Hutt teenager who is a popular presence on campus.

“Mary manages the demands of being an elite athlete and an excellent student by training and studying hard.”