WALSALL swimming star Ellie Simmonds claimed her fourth medal of London 2012 when she took silver in the S6 100 metres freestyle.

The 17-year-old had already secured two golds and one bronze and this morning qualified second for the two-length race.

She repeated that when she touched second after Victoria Arlen in one minute 14.82 seconds with the American lowering her own world record to 1min 13.33secs.

Simmonds was quick to congratulate the American, hugging her in the pool and then smiling as an adoring crowd showed their appreciation for one of the stars of the Paralympics.

Simmonds told Channel 4: "I gave it everything on that last 50. I could see her but I just didn't have anything left.

"I'm just really chuffed. A PB by over a second, I'm just really happy. I would have loved to get the gold but you can't have everything."

Asked how the Games compared to 2008, she said: "I think Beijing's always going to be the best Games for me. I loved it all and it was my first Games.

"This Games has been amazing as well though. It's been topped off by my swims.

"It's been really good in front of a home crowd, it's been amazing.

"I don't want it to end but it is ending and I'm just looking forward to celebrating now.

"I'm just going to celebrate with the team and be with them and enjoy it all."

Simmonds added: "Silver is really good. I went out there and did the best I could.

"I saw Victoria in the last 15 and thought put my head down and go for it but I touched and it wasn't enough.

"I would have loved to have got that gold but you can't have everything your own way."

Shouts of "Come on Ellie" reverberated around the packed Aquatics centre before the race, but the crowd's partisan backing was not enough to bring Simmonds her third gold medal of London 2012.

The swimmer, who was born in Aldridge, is one of the games' standout performers, having won the nation's hearts by taking golds in the 200m medley and 400m freestyle, as well as bronze in the 50m freestyle event.

The A-Level student, who has dwarfism, has eclipsed her performance in the 2008 Beijing Games where she picked up two golds.

She also smashed the 200m and 400m world records en route to her two gold medals.

Arlen was allowed to race Simmonds after she avoided being reclassified by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in the run-up to the games.

The IPC initially ruled that the American, who was left in a vegetative state for two years after contracting a neurological virus that affected her spinal cord, was ineligible to compete in the same class as Simmonds.

But Arlen successfully appealed and one of the Paralympics' most enthralling rivalries was allowed to continue.