Jessica Lewis has become the latest golden girl of Bermuda sport after storming to victory in the 100 metres final at the Parapan American Games in Toronto last night.

The wheelchair athlete shattered the Parapan Am record with a time of 17.67sec to make history as the first Bermudian to win a medal at a major international para-sports competition.

Lewis, who was cheered on by her mother, Lorri, the Bermuda team’s chef de mission, said she was thrilled to have fulfilled her expectations of finishing on top of the podium.

“I’m feeling absolutely ecstatic right now,” Lewis said. “I feel so proud to have Bermuda on my back and to represent my country.

“I felt very confident going into the race and I knew I had to get out there and do what I’ve been doing all season.

“My whole family was here and a bunch of my friends came down from Brock University to watch me. It’s great to have everyone with me tonight.”

The 22-year-old’s dominant display at the CIBC Parapan Am Athletics Stadium eclipsed the previous best time of 18.18 set by her mentor, Anjali Forber-Pratt, of the United States, at the 2007 Parapan Ams in Rio.

She said she was determined not to settle for anything less than gold after receiving some inspirational words from Forber-Pratt, the 200 world record-holder, just days before her race.

“I’ve known Anjali for a long time and she took me under her wing when I first started in the sport,” Lewis said. “She just told me to go and get her record, which was great.”

Lewis, who competes in the T53 classification, was touted as one of the top-ten track and field athletes to watch in Toronto in an article on the International Paralympic Committee’s website.

She will be looking to further enhance her burgeoning reputation by capturing another medal when she returns to action in tonight’s 400 final.

“I’m feeling very confident about the 400 now and I just hope that this adrenalin carries on and helps me in the race ” said Lewis, the third-fastest qualifier in Wednesday’s 400 heats in 1:04.98. Lewis became Bermuda’s first Paralympian at the London Olympics in 2012 and finished eighth in all three of her races — the 100, 200 and 400.

She has already qualified in the 100 and 400 for next summer’s Paralympic Games in Rio, where she has ambitions of a podium finish.

“Winning gold here is a huge confidence boost for me,” she said.

“I’ve been racing against these girls all season and I will be racing against them again in Rio.”

The former BHS student said her performance was all the more satisfying, having agonisingly missed out on a medal by one hundredth of a second at the previous Parapan Ams in Guadalajara, Mexico, where she finished fourth in the 100.

“It was tough to miss out in Guadalajara, so it does make it extra sweet to win here tonight,” she said.

Lewis’s time was almost a second faster than her nearest rival Ilana Dupont, of Canada, who finished in 18.63, while Jessica Frotten, also of the host nation, claimed bronze in 19.25.

“Jessica was awesome,” said mother Lorri. “She’s had a phenomenal season and she went out there and did herself and Bermuda so proud. She was amazing.”

Also representing Bermuda in Toronto were Steve Wilson and Yushae DeSilva-Andrade, who competed in the preliminary rounds of boccia — a precision ball game, related to bowls, played by wheelchair athletes.

All three athletes were introduced to the world of adaptive sport at WindReach Bermuda in Warwick, which helps people with a wide range of disabilities.