Paralympics: Four-time gold medallist Firth 'excited to inspire people again' in Tokyo

For Bethany Firth, a glittering Paralympics career has allowed her to develop a remarkably mature mindset.

Every Paralympian dreams of winning medals and, when she was starting out, Firth was no different.

But, of course, the Co Down woman no longer needs to dream. With four gold medals - one at London 2012 and three from her endeavours at Rio 2016 - Firth has already reached the summit.

If she were to retire tomorrow, she could look back on a wonderfully successful career, but stepping away from the pool is the furthest thing from her mind as she prepares to compete for ParalympicsGB at the Tokyo Games, which begin on 24 August.

This will be Firth's third Games, but this time around her main goal is not to add to her medal collection, but to enjoy the experience after a difficult lockdown in which she, in an attempt to stay maintain her training, was forced to improvise by swimming in a paddling pool in her parents' back garden.

"You think about medals, and you want to achieve, but as you get older things become clearer and I think you realise your core values," Firth told BBC Sport NI.

"One of my core values in swimming is to enjoy it. At the point where I don't enjoy it, I think I'll step back.

"For me, to go over there [to Tokyo] and enjoy it is the goal. In many aspects of life, there are going to be people who are better or who can do it differently.

"In sport, if you're not succeeding at a high level, sometimes it can scare people away, but it doesn't matter if you're not winning lots of medals.

"As long as you're out there making friends and having fun, that's the most important thing."

This Paralympics cycle has - like for so many others - been a difficult one for Firth, who will defend her S14 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley titles in Tokyo.

While she managed to mirror her stroke in her homemade aquatic centre, she was forced to contend with another shoulder injury.

Such injuries can be devastating to a swimmer's preparations, but it failed to dim Firth's enthusiasm as she edges closer to another exciting Paralympic journey.

"It was very challenging, and it was hard to come back from," she admitted.

"But it's really important to show there is a comeback and you can get back to a happy place, even if we're all going through a rough time at the minute.

"I think, as athletes, sometimes people think it's amazing for us all the time and that we don't have really bad days, so I think it's important to show that we can have bad days as well."

The Olympic Games, which concluded earlier this month in Tokyo, produced a plethora of inspiring sporting stories and Firth hopes the Paralympics can perform a similar function by showcasing what disabled athletes can achieve.

After all, the Seaforde-born swimmer clinched a surprise 100m backstroke gold at the London 2012 Games just five years after taking up the sport.

"As a young girl with a disability, I was a completely different person. I was so shy and scared to let people know that I struggled or needed a bit more help.

"But seeing the Paralympics and seeing people not trying to hide their disabilities, but show people how they've overcome it.

"I know walking around the village, you'll see people without arms carrying things on their head and I think that's amazing and can inspire everyone.

"It shows people that disabilities don't matter. You may have to do things in a different way, but you can still do it.

"There's been such a buzz around the Olympics and I feel the Paralympics inspires people even more just with people overcoming disabilities and obstacles.

"I'm just excited to inspire people again and get people back into sport."

Firth's stunning three gold medal haul in Rio was soundtracked by an electric atmosphere inside the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, but it will be a different dynamic in Japan.

On Monday, organisers confirmed that the Games will be held without spectators due to Tokyo's ongoing struggle with coronavirus.

"For me, that's really tough because I have such a wonderful family, a great support system.

"I always look to them after my races to see where they are in the stands. I've always done that at every event in London and Rio, so for them not to be there is quite difficult.

"But I know they'll get together to watch so they may not be there in person, but they'll be cheering me on and I'm sure we can celebrate whatever's happened when I get back."