Former Burnham-On-Sea resident Anthony Stephens won a bronze medal at the Beijing Paralympics on Tuesday (September 9th).
Burnham-On-Sea.com reported earlier this week how Anthony, 22, a former King Alfred School pupil, had encountered a disappointing start to the Paralympics after narrowly missing out on a medal and then being disqualified from another race.
But all that changed on Tuesday when he clinched third place in the 200 metres freestyle (S5 category), behind swimmers from Brazil and Spain. The result earned him a bronze medal.
.200 metres freestyle (S5)
1st
D Dias (Brz) 2min 32.32secs Gold
2nd
S Rodriguez (Spn) 2:38.88 Silver
3rd
A Stephens (GB) 2:44.67 Bronze
Anthony (pictured) won a silver medal at the Athens Paralympics in 2004 in the men’s 200m freestyle and two bronze medals in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle.
Anthony now lives in Swansea but has family and friends throughout the Burnham-On-Sea area.
Anthony was born with no legs and just one fully developed arm, but has never let this get in his way, and has been swimming from the age of three and breaking records since he was 10.
RELATED LINKS:
Disappointing start for Anthony at 2008 Paralympics
Burnham paralympic swimmer heads to Beijing paralympics
Anthony opens brand new BAY Centre extension
Paralymic swimmer set to make another big splash
Anthony gets a hero’s welcome on return from Athens
