Ellie Simmonds mission for a golden hat-trick

Ellie Simmonds today said she was "on a mission" as she aimed for a hat-trick of Paralympic golds.

The teenage swimming sensation smashed her own record as she won her second gold medal of the Games last night.

The 17-year-old from Aldridge beat her own record set yesterday morning in the 200m individual medley, storming to victory in just three minutes and 5.39 seconds.

The teen has become the nation's sweetheart after netting two golds in the pool in 48 hours.

She returns to the water today, competing in the 50m freestyle along with fellow Briton Natalie Jones, who yesterday won bronze.

Ellie said: "I'm just enjoying every moment. To get a second gold is amazing. The crowd going mental definitely pushes you on and gives you that home advantage you need.

"I'm on a mission at the moment. It's the biggest event of my life."

Following last night's win, her father Steve Simmonds spoke of his pride at his daughter's achievement.

He said: "The atmosphere was very good, there was lots of noise. She has two more races and whether she will come out with a medal we don't know. She will give everything she has got and swim her best.

"We are hopeful she will come out with something, but it doesn't matter, we are proud of her, as we are all our kids."

He added: "We are still full of emotion from Saturday's Gold medal performance. Just talking about it makes me fill up."

Mr Simmonds said the family had had to make do with a one minute face to face catch-up and plenty of texts since Saturday's gold.

He said: "Ellie was off doing media interviews and we managed about one minute with her before she went back into the village on Saturday night – but we cherished every second." As well as family, well-wishers in Ellie's hometown of Aldridge were cheering her on to victory. Speaking at The Crown pub in Anchor Road yesterday, James Bird, aged 29, of Hayfield Grove, Aldridge, said: "I live on the same road as her parents. I have seen her a few times.

"Anyone who goes to the Games will have a brilliant time, but when it is a local girl it is even more special.

"We are really proud of her, to break records and win two golds is brilliant." Shaun Green, aged 29, from Walsall Wood Road, added: "I think it is phenomenal. For somebody local and at the age of only 17 is a fantastic achievement."

Jamie Green, aged 35, from Rushall added: "It is nice to see somebody close to home win, you can relate to it. She is really putting Aldridge on the map."

An estimated 2.9 million viewers tuned in to the Games on Saturday to see Ellie bag her first gold medal of the tournament in the 400m freestyle.

In that event she smashed the old record by five seconds to defend her Paralympic title in a time of 5 mins 19.17 seconds.

As well as today's 50m freestyle today, she will also be competing in the 100m freestyle event.