Paralympics 2012 Day 9: little room for sentiment as tantrum and tears spoil Natalie Du Toit's exit In a fit of pique at finishing second behind Ellie Cole, of Australia, Du Toit had removed her silver medal and, sobbing, walked away in the opposite direction from the other two podium finishers as they posed for photographs after the medal ceremony. She cut a forlorn figure. It was a sad end her Paralympic career but Du Toit is not the sort of athlete to stay down for long. Already, she is turning her attention to new challenges in an effort to fill the void. "I've been doing crazy things in the last few months, such as the 94.7 cycle race and I tried a car race, as well," she said. In the past I was too scared I'd break an arm or a leg, so I couldn't participate in such activities. I still have to find my path in life. The past few months have been really tough, so it is now a case of finding myself again. British women stood out on the day, too. Josie Pearson earned the team's 10th athletics gold medal in winning the F51/52/53 discus with a new world record distance of 6.58m with her third throw. It was a story which crossed over from sport into the news pages. Pearson's dreams of being a three-day eventer had been shattered in 2003 when she suffered a horrific injury as a passenger in a car that was involved in a head-on collision on a blind bend in Wales. The driver, her boyfriend Daniel Evans, was killed while Pearson, a promising show jumper, had to adjust to life in a wheelchair after being left paralysed from the chest down. To compete in front of that home crowd knowing that everyone is behind you, to know that everyone was there to support you as an athlete is the most amazing feeling. I'm never ever going to forget the experience," said Pearson. The day ended with the Olympic Stadium set alight by partially-sighted sprinter Jason Smyth in the final of the men's T13 200m. Smyth, the fastest Paralympic sprinter in history, set a world record in 21.05 sec, to add to his 100m crown. The 25 year-old, who has Stargardt disease and sees only shapes and no details, pulled Usain Bolt's "lightning" pose afterwards. Was he the Usain Bolt of the Paralympics, I asked him, after he had disclosed that Tyson Gay, his training partner, had been giving him advice on running the bend over 200m? "I think he's actually the Jason Smyth of the Olympics," he replied with a smile. Josie Pearson Athletics, F51/52/53 discus Claire Cashmore, Heather Fredriksen, Stephanie Millward and Louise Watkin Swimming, 4 x100m medley relay 34pts Rachel Morris Cycling, H1-3 road race Lucy Shuker and Jordanne Whiley Wheelchair tennis, doubles Jane Campbell and Sara Head Table tennis, team class 1-3 Will Bayley and Ross Wilson Table tennis, team class 6-8