Canoeist Emma Wiggs claims Paralympics gold with lucky scratchcard in the boat

By James Toney in Paris

Canoeist Emma Wiggs won Paralympic gold but could have lost a small fortune - not that she cares.

Wiggs, 44, claimed top podium top spot for a third consecutive Games beating nearest rival, Canada's Brianna Hennessy, by over a second and a half to win the women's va'a 200m VL2 single title in Vaires-sur-Marne.

And the one-time sitting volleyball player believes the fates were on her side.

"When I saw my race number was 44, I initially thought it was a bad omen but thankfully not," she said.

"I was racing with a scratchcard in the boat because the National Lottery has been my biggest supporter, without them we just wouldn't be here or competitive. Unfortunately, I've lost it in all the splashing about, hopefully it wasn’t a jackpot.

"I don't think about my age, it's just a number and I'm still competitive against the fastest girls in the world.

"Why stop? LA sounds nice right? My father and my stepmother live in Texas so I think they’re pushing for me to carry on. I'm still going fast and I’m loving every second.”

Wiggs switched sports after London 2012 and has proved virtually unstoppable with paddle in hand, with 11 world titles alongside her three Paralympic golds.

However, she admits the build-up to these Games has not been easy, following a change of coach and battles with a persistent shoulder injury.

"I'm going to have surgery next week but that's the ups and downs of the sport," she added.

"I love it, I never get up and think of this as work, even when it's horrible and horrendous weather."

Great Britain brought up their 300th gold medal since the start of National Lottery funding when Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid won men's wheelchair tennis doubles gold at Roland Garros on Friday.

Wiggs was number 304, her sport crucially benefitting from over £46m in funding since the Lottery, soon to celebrate its 30th birthday, began.

Another reason Wiggs might have no intention of slowing down is team-mate Jeanette Chippington, who made her Games debut as a swimmer in 1988 and just missed the podium here aged 54.

Chippington has lived through the revolution in Paralympic sport - in Seoul some of the team paid their way and television coverage was restricted to an hour of highlights broadcast at Christmas.

"Emma told me she was proud of me and that means everything," said Chippington.

"I’m obviously really gutted not to get a medal and I didn’t want to get upset because I am really proud to be here.

"My children are out here, my husband, my brother, load of friends and family so it’s going to be tough.

“It’s my eighth Games and just to be here is amazing. Once it has settled down, I’ll be able to give myself a really big pat on the back. I couldn’t have done anymore in the race."

Elsewhere, Charlotte Henshaw edged out British team-mate Hope Gordon for a one-two in the VL3 classification, while David Phillipson won silver in the men's KL2 race, just behind Australia's Curtis McGrath.

The key to Paddle UK’s success is their big investment in talent transfer, identifying athletes from other sports and then working to make them compete on the water.

Both Henshaw and Gordon came from swimming - and both have another chance to make the podium on Sunday.

"I never felt unfulfilled in my swimming career, I was immensely proud of what I had achieved in the pool," said Henshaw.

"I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about achieving that ultimate dream which is to be Paralympic champion and I hadn’t done that. I was very close in London but got touched out by a fingernail.

"Initially, I thought it would be a good challenge, something different, a new skill to learn but very quickly that athlete mindset took over.

"When I was going around trying different sports after I retired from swimming, as soon as I sat in a boat, I knew it was where I was meant to be. They made me feel very welcome and felt very at home on the water and there is no secret that former swimmers seem to make very good para-canoeists."

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