Lakeisha Patterson’s last-gasp gold medal on the opening night of the Paralympics has left the Australian swimmer “more fried than a chook from KFC”.

Australia leads the medal tally after day one with six gold medals, including four in the pool and two in track cycling.

Patterson held off a fierce challenge from Zsofia Konkoly – the Hungarian briefly took the lead on the last lap – to win the S9 400m freestyle final by just .08 of a second.

Will Martin broke the Paralympic record in the men’s S9 400m freestyle final and Rowan Crothers took out the S10 50m freestyle.

Amazing day for our para athletes. Let’s get behind them Australia. #tokyo2020 #goaustralia 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/yd70G2lRp2

— Tony Pignata (@tpignata9) August 25, 2021

Then Ben Popham won the last event of the night, bursting into tears when his blistering finish gave him the S8 100m freestyle gold.

“Australia is having another mining boom – it’s a bit of a gold rush and I’m loving it,” he told Channel Seven.

Martin and Patterson won the first two swimming gold medals of the Games on Wednesday night at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

They emulated compatriots Paige Greco and Emily Petricola, who won the first two gold medals of the Tokyo Paralympics earlier at the Izu Velodrome.

🥇 GOLD FOR BEN POPHAM 🥇

A golden way to end the day, Ben Popham secured himself gold in the 100m free S8 in a blistering time of 57.37 ⚡

What a race from Ben and what night from our Dolphins 😍🙌#ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #ParaSwimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/BHU2Hs3vAt

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

Patterson, who has cerebral palsy, won the S8 400 freestyle at the Rio Games and has since been re-classified to the S9 category.

The 22-year-old made a fast start and rallied in the last few metres to beat Konkoly.

“All I could do was attack it from the start and hold on … I knew I had it in me,” she said.

“I’m feeling more fried than a chook from KFC right now.”

🥇GOLD FOR LAKEISHA PATTERSON🥇

"More fried than a chook from KFC!!"🐔

Lucky is building her legacy (and her great sense of humour) after winning gold in the 400m Free S9 with 4:36.68#ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #ParaSwimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/mtPsHc7mox

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

Patterson also paid a tearful tribute to mum Sherryn on her birthday.

“It’s really hard being away from Mum today, but this is for you,” she said.

A golden performance by Rowan Crothers in the Men’s 50m Freestyle S10. #ReadySetTokyo #Paralympics #ParaSwimming
Photo: Delly Carr pic.twitter.com/0cZ4SCURqO

— AUS Paralympic Team (@AUSParalympics) August 25, 2021

Crowthers continued the chook theme, saying a training partner in Australia had promised him a chicken parmigiana and a ginger beer if he won.

“I can’t wait for that when I get home,” Crowthers said.

He clocked 23.21 seconds to take out the “splash and dash”, edging out Maksym Krypak of Ukraine by .12 of a second.

Martin stunned his rivals in the 400m freestyle, going out fast in the finals taking more than seven seconds off his heat time.

The 20-year-old Games debutant from Queensland won in a Games record time of four minutes 10.25 seconds, beating Ugo Didier of France by 1.08 seconds.

🥇GOLD MEDAL FOR WILL MARTIN🥇

In Paralympic record time, Will Martin has claimed the first swimming Paralympic gold of the Games🙌

Touching in 4:10.25, 8 seconds faster than his PB, it was a brilliant performance#ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #Paraswimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/PWRkdLAOho

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

But not everything went to plan for Australia on day one – the Steelers’ shock loss to Denmark put an early dent in their quest for a third straight wheelchair rugby gold medal.

Martin stunned his rivals in the 400m freestyle, going out fast in the finals and taking more than seven seconds off his heat time.

The 20-year-old Games debutant from Queensland won in a Games record time of four minutes 10.25 seconds, beating Ugo Didier of France by 1.08 seconds.

🥉 BRONZE FOR ALEX TUCKFIELD 🥉

In his first interational meet, Alex will be coming home with a bronze in the 400m Freestle S9 with a time of 4:13.54 👊#ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #ParaSwimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/mUHzynJtbT

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

Sixteen-year-old Australian Alexander Tuckfield won the bronze and compatriot Brenden Hall, the world record holder, was a surprise fourth.

Patterson also took the early lead in her 400 final as six-time Australian gold medallist Ellie Cole dropped off the pace.

It came down to Patterson and Hungarian Zsofia Konkoly, who briefly took the lead on the last lap.

But Patterson rallied to touch the wall first in 4 minutes 36.68 seconds, just 0.08sec ahead of Konkoly.

🥉BRONZE FOR BEN HANCE 🥉

It was a superb effort in the 100m Butterfly (S14) by Ben who came into the wall third swimming a time of 56.90 #ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #ParaSwimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/MqCjRV9kpu

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

Ben Hance won bronze in the S14 100m butterfly, while Valeriia Shabalina’s world record denied Australian pair Paige Leonhardt and Ruby Storm in their S14 100m butterfly final.

The Russian clocked 1:03.59 to beat Leonhardt by 1.89 seconds and Storm was 2.91 seconds off the pace for the bronze.

🥈SILVER FOR PAIGE LEONHARDT🥈

A superstar effort from Paige coming second in a world record breaking race! 🌟

Covering the 100m fly S14 in 1:05.48, it was an incredible swim 👏#ReadySetTokyo | #Paralympics | #Paraswimming | @AUSParalympics pic.twitter.com/lmRw9kYepo

— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) August 25, 2021

-AAP