Emotional scenes as brave Aussie Paralympian Ben Hance pays tribute to his late father after snaring gold in S14 men’s 100m backstroke

Emotions were high when Aussie Paralympian Benjamin Hance touched the wall to secure backstroke gold in Paris on Saturday morning.

Seconds later the 24-year-old balanced himself on a lane rope, kissed his left hand, and pointed to the heavens.

‘I love you, Dad,’ the swimming champion said.

Hance never looked like losing the men’s 100m backstroke S14 final, winning by virtually a body length.

In doing so, he became the first man to win back-to-back Paralympic gold medals in the event staged at La Defense Arena.

Hance admitted after winning gold he has endured ‘the worst year of my life.’

‘I’m glad this season is over,’ the Queensland swimmer said.

‘There’s my dad dying, for sure…..and there’s also other things I won’t mention on camera that happened to me that could have ruined my life, as well.

Ben Hance’s individual gold follows a silver medal as a member of Australia’s mixed 4x100m freestyle S14 relay team

‘I was just thanking my father for everything he’s done….he always loved my backstroke and I’m glad I gave him a gold medal, for sure.’

Anthony Charles Hance, simply known to family and friends as Tony, died aged 55 earlier this year.

Just three months later, his son – who has an intellectual impairment – secured his spot to Paris at the Australian swimming trials in Brisbane.

Hance was also inspired after receiving a message pre-race from Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers.

The pair train together at St Andrew’s Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast.

Meanwhile, Australia won seven medals on day nine, with 17-year-old Callum Simpson also snaring gold.

In a thrilling finish, Simpson beat American Noah Jaffe by 0.02 seconds in the men’s 100m freestyle S8 final.

‘It’s everything I ever dreamed of and to finally have my dream come true is amazing. It honestly is,’ he said.