Nineteen-year-old Ela Letton-Jones climbed out of the pool in Glasgow and became part of history. The para-swimmer from Wales had just won silver in the women's S13 100m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games, and in doing so, she brought home the very first medal for Team Wales at these Games.
Letton-Jones touched the wall in one minute and 4.30 seconds, finishing just behind Australian Jenna Jones, who won gold in 1:03.89. The young Welsh swimmer had entered the final as the second-fastest qualifier from the morning session, and she delivered when it mattered most.
Para-swimming classifies athletes based on their impairment, and the S13 classification is for swimmers with visual impairments. Letton-Jones, competing in her first Commonwealth Games, handled the pressure of being Wales' first medal hope with composure and joy.
"I knew that coming in so I am just glad I was able to deliver and hopefully give Team Wales some momentum to win more medals," Letton-Jones said after the race.
The atmosphere inside the aquatics center clearly moved her. "I was speechless because I had never heard a crowd as noisy as that before," she said. "It carried me, gave me a lot more adrenaline and probably made me swim faster."
Her family was there to witness the milestone. "My Mum, Dad and Nanny were here and I am grateful for their support because I could not have won silver without them," she said.
Letton-Jones shared something she has learned about herself through this experience: "I enjoyed it and I am glad that I did and it proves I swim a lot better when I am happy."
With this silver medal, she has set a positive tone for the rest of Team Wales at the Games, giving her teammates something to build on as the competition continues.