Skip to content

Village turns out for Paralympics gold medallist

Shivani Chaudhari
BBC News, Northamptonshire
BBC Champion Maisie Summers-Newton holding her medal after coming back from the Paralympics. She us smiling at the camera with her hair in a ponytail and is wearing a white Team GB hoodie.BBC
Champion Maisie Summers-Newton showed off her medals and said "to come home to this is really special"

A village was ecstatic to welcome back champion swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton after she defended her Paralympic titles in Paris.

Summers-Newton, 22, from Wollaston, Northamptonshire, was greeted in her street by bunting and scores of cheering well-wishers after winning two gold medals and a bronze.

She had won a double Paralympic gold three years ago in Japan.

"I think I've achieved more than my dream. To do it in Tokyo, I was like 'yeah, I've done it', but do to it again was really special," she said.

"I'm so proud of myself and so happy that is has all gone to plan.

"I'm so pleased that I've done it and I've proved to myself that I can do it."

Zac Goodwin/PA Maisie Summers-Newton raises her arms in the in the swimming pool wearing a red capZac Goodwin/PA
Maisie Summers-Newton celebrates winning the women's 100m breaststroke SB6 final at the Paris La Defense Arena on 1 September
James Burridge/BBC Maise Summers-Newton standing in front of a blue car while holding three medals, two gold and one bronze, and smiling. She is surrounded by people waving Union Jack flags and smiling to greet her as she comes home.James Burridge/BBC
Maisie Summers-Newton was welcomed by a street full of cheers and bunting as she returned from the Paralympics
James Burridge/BBC Scores of people in the street waving bunting and Union Jack flags as Maise arrives home in a blue carJames Burridge/BBC
Scores of people took to the streets of the village near Wellingborough to welcome home the Paralympian

Summers-Newton defended her gold medals in the women's 100m breaststroke SB6 and women's 200m medley SM6.

She also won a bronze in the women's 400m freestyle S6.

The Paralympian added: "I absolutely love my village, I just feel so safe and happy here.

"My mum was raised here and my grandad was raised here.

"It is amazing to see the support I got here and to be able to come home to this is really special."

Several people standing on the pavement waiting for Maise to arrive
Residents and well-wishers poured out onto the street to welcome home the Paralympian

Her mum, Laura Summers, said: "I was so nervous, there was a lot of expectation.

"The village has really got behind her again and we couldn't be happy for her".

LISTEN: Maisie Summers-Newton's golden summer

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

More on this story