Mermaid tail helps Murphy win Rio silver

When Paralympian Monique Murphy woke from a coma to discover that she'd lost her right leg after a 20m fall she thought she'd never swim again.

She's known as The Mermaid and, after winning a silver medal in the Rio pool at her debut Paralympics, it's easy to see why.

It took a world record from Canada's Aurelie Rivard to keep Australian swimmer Monique Murphy from taking gold in the women's S10 400m freestyle final on Thursday (Friday AEST) just two years after a balcony fall left her with major injuries.

The 22-year-old's secret training weapon came in handy - her "mermaid leg".

The colourful, fish tail-shaped prosthesis is designed to help Murphy, who is a below-the-knee amputee, activate the remaining muscles in her right leg during swims.

"This is the best thing that has happened to me in the last two years," said Murphy of her silver medal.

"Two years ago I woke up from a coma and found out that I'd fallen from a fifth-floor balcony."

Murphy had a broken jaw, a cut to her neck dangerously close to the main artery and windpipe, a broken collarbone, three broken ribs and injuries to her leg so severe that it needed to be amputated.

The Victorian never thought she'd never walk, let alone swim again.

A talented competitor before the accident, getting back in the pool became a vital part of Murphy's recovery.

"Swimming was the lifeline really. I was struggling a lot with pain and mobility. As soon as I got in the water all the phantom pain pretty much stopped straight away," she said.

"I wouldn't have my life back if it weren't for swimming."

The Aussie women stole the show in the pool on day seven of the Games.

Australia won the 4x100m freestyle 34pt relay in world record time thanks to Maddison Elliott, Ellie Cole, Ashleigh McConnell, and Lakeisha Patterson.

With three bronze medals already to her name from these Games, 15-year-old Tiffany Thomas Kane also took out gold in the SB6 100m breaststroke with a Paralympic record.


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Source: AAP



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