CHAIRMAN Nigel Elwell could not contain his pride after Wyre Forest Swimming Club's golden girl Claire Cashmore finally topped the podium in Rio.

The 28-year-old scooped gold and a world record alongside Alice Tai, Stephanie Millward and Stephanie Slater in the women's 4x100-metre relay at the 2016 Paralympics.

Team GB's quartet set a new standard with a time of 4:45:23 to see off the challenges of Australia and the United States.

It was a fitting triumph for Cashmore who had been in tears after settling for silver in her signature event, the 100-metre butterfly, in Brazil.

But her eighth Paralympic gong in 12 years competing for her country was the colour she had dreamed of for so long with her club-mates the first to punch the air.

"We are all incredibly proud of Claire," said Elwell. "Despite the fact she was disappointed with her individual swim, to then come back and get gold in the relay was superb.

"Everyone was right behind her because she has always acted as a fantastic role model for our swimmers and the club in the same way Amy Smith did before she retired.

"My colleagues and committee members have known Claire for a very long time and always said she had the drive and determination to achieve great things.

"We are all absolutely delighted about her success."

Cashmore's time of 37.02 in the individual event at least boosted Team GB's bumper medal haul.

In the nation's best performance at the Games since Seoul in 1988, Cashmore and her counterparts came back with a whopping total of 147 medals, including 64 gold and 39 silver, to finish second to China in the overall standings.

Cashmore said: “This time it’s tears of happiness, not sadness. We have a fantastic team and lost by such a small margin in London so to come back and beat the Aussies was such an unbelievable feeling.

“You felt so out of control when Steph [Millward] was swimming the last leg, we were just willing her on and to get a world record was brilliant.

“It was my last race of this Paralympic Games and I just wanted to finish on a high. We definitely did that.”

Cashmore made her debut for the Paralympic team as a 16-year-old competing at Athens in 2004. Since then, she has won medals at every level of competition.