Ellie Simmonds meets young fans after Paralympic gold glory

Ellie, who is from Aldridge and has won five gold medals over three consecutive Paralympics, popped in yesterday to meet the mayor and speak to youngsters about her sport.

Swimmers from Burntwood, as well as Walsall's synchronised swimming team and Chase Swimming Club, attended the afternoon tea with the star who spoke about her achievements.

The 21-year-old asked the youngsters about their swimming aspirations and how they find the sport.

Ellie, who has 10 gold world championship titles to her name, said: "It's really important that we keep working to get youngsters involved in the sport. It's vital that we, as athletes, get out there and show young people that they are the next generation of Olympians and Paralympians."

Lewis Jones, 14, of Cannock, is a member of Chase Swimming Club and met Ellie during the afternoon.

He said: "I think Ellie is a great role model for the sport and she really shows that it doesn't matter where you come from, if you work hard at something, then anything is possible."

The event was organised by Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Kath Phillips, who said: "Ellie's a Walsall girl and has always been so proud and committed to her roots. So it's only right that we welcome her here to show how proud of her we are and all that she has done for the town."

At just 13 years old, Ellie was the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. She competed in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 200m Individual Medley and won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events.

At London 2012, she won the 400m freestyle. She then took gold again in the 200m Individual Medley, breaking the world record that she had set in the qualifying round that morning.

This year at the Rio Paralympics, Ellie defended her gold medal for the 200m individual medley and set a new world record – the first below three minutes at 2:59.81. She also won a bronze medal in the 400m freestyle.