Plymouth schoolgirl, 15, wins stunning swimming gold medal... unfortunately she's competing for Lithuania!

By IAN GARLAND

I don't believe it! Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte reacts with shock after discovering she has won the women's 100m breaststroke final

Just weeks ago 15-year-old Ruta Meilutyte was sitting with classmates at Plymouth College.
Today she's an Olympic champion.
The Lithuanian swimming prodigy, taught and trained at an English secondary school, stormed to victory in the 100m breaststroke final.
Nobody expected Miss Meilutyte to even reach the final and she was so shocked by her own success, the teenager held her hands over her mouth when she first clapped eyes on the scoreboard.

Hands up if you've won gold: Meilutyte's emotion soon turns to one of joy as it sinks in that she is Olympic champion

When the BBC approached her for an interview poolside, the shaken Miss Meilutyte told retired British swimmer Sharron Davies: 'I can't believe it. It's all too much for me. I just can't believe it.'
The 15-year-old not only became the first swimmer from her country to win an Olympic medal she did it in under extraordinary circumstances.

The 15-year-old Plymouth schoolgirl celebrates with her medal

The start, a time when swimmers are already battling their nerves, was delayed by a technical malfunction that saw the starter's gun go off before he had called 'on your marks'.
American Breeja Larson dived into the pool on the gun but was able to race because of the malfunction.

Plymouth College Olympians: Ruta Meilutyte (right), with Tom Daley, Ugandan swimmer Jamilia Lunkuse (far left) and Zambian swimmer Jade Howard

The eight finalists sat down while the problem was fixed and an unfazed Miss Meilutyte still got off the blocks fastest and led at the turn but then had to survive a fierce challenge from American Rebecca Soni, the reigning world champion in the event.
The more experienced Miss Soni drew level in the final few strokes but Miss Meilutyte kept her cool and got her hands on the wall first in one minute, 05.47 seconds.

Happy family: Meilutyte with, left to right, brother Mindaugas, father Saulius, grandmother Aldonas, and brother Margiris

Miss Soni was second in 1:05.55 while Japan's Satomi Suzuki finished third in 1:06.46. Australia's Leisel Jones, the defending Olympic champion who won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Games when she was 15, finished fifth overall in her fourth and final appearance at the Games.
The only person who won't be surprised by Miss Meilutyte's gold medal is Jon Rudd, her coach at the internationally acclaimed Plymouth Leander Swimming programme.


High emotion: Meilutyte cries on the podium with her gold medal before composing herself to give a big smile for the world's press



source: dailymail