School of Psychology student Mary Fisher has blazed her way to a
world-record swim winning a gold medal to end the London
Paralympics on a high.

A week after winning two silvers and a bronze, the visually
impaired 19 year-old finished the games in style, winning the S11
200m individual medley in a world record time of two minutes, 46
seconds, point 91 (2:46.91).

Ms Fisher, a first-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in
psychology at the Wellington campus, won her other medals in the
100-metre backstroke and 100-metre freestyle (both silver) and
50-metre freestyle (bronze) respectively.

Swimming in the S11 class requires her to wear blackened goggles
and for someone to tap her as she approaches the swimming pool
wall.

Campus student advisor (Disability) Heather McCallum says Ms Fisher
had to overcome other challenges before getting to London too.

"She is a straight A student in spite of missing classes in
semester one due to having to attend training camps."

Ms Fisher, who studies using electronic formats for her course
work, had to take other tests she would otherwise have missed, in
advance of her departure for her first Paralympic Games.

All of her lecturers had been incredibly supportive and excited for
her success, Ms McCallum says of the Upper Hutt teenager who is a
popular presence on campus.

"Mary manages the demands of being an elite athlete and an
excellent student by training and studying hard."