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Brock Whiston was already Paralympic champion, world champion and world record holder before these Commonwealth Games.<\/b><\/p>\n
There were two things missing, however.<\/p>\n
First, a Commonwealth gold medal. Second, it had been 17 years since her father Gel was poolside to watch her race.<\/p>\n
“He doesn’t like swimming,” England’s Whiston, 29, told the BBC.<\/p>\n
“He finds it too hot – doesn’t like the smell of chlorine.”<\/p>\n
The last time Gel came to watch was when Whiston’s mother had cancer. She has since recovered.<\/p>\n
Since then he has been a big “sideline supporter” from home – Whiston says he worked “so hard to get me to where I am today” – but has recently received a Parkinson’s diagnosis.<\/p>\n
This time he was keen to make the trip.<\/p>\n
“I just wanted to make him proud,” Whiston told TNT Sports.<\/p>\n
“I just wanted to win this race for him. I didn’t care about the time.”<\/p>\n
And win the race Whiston did – in a new Games record for the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8.<\/p>\n
This month Whiston, who works in a primary school, spoke about wanting to keep her emotions in check, having missed out on gold in the same event at the Paris Paralympics after being overawed by the crowd.<\/p>\n
“I didn’t spot him until I was doing my lap with my medal,” Whiston said.<\/p>\n
“He gave me a kiss on the head and said ‘love you’. I think he was shellshocked.”<\/p>\n
So will he be back? Whiston’s Games in Glasgow are finished but there are more meets to come.<\/p>\n
“He said he’s done it now. He’s not coming back,” she said.<\/p>\n
“He is very happy to support from home.<\/p>\n
“Just to have him there that once was a special moment.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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