SOUTHAMPTON athlete Dave Henson played his part on one of the best days in British Paralympic history - five years after losing both his legs in Afghanistan.

The 31 year-old won a bronze medal in the T42 200m, with GB colleague Richard Whitehead retaining the title he won at London 2012.

Whitehead surged to a successful defence of the T42 200 metres title he won at London 2012 On a Super Sunday in Rio, Great Britain's Paralympians snared 21 medals on day four - eight of them gold.

Henson was serving with the Royal Engineers in 2011 when he stood on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.

He had amputations to both legs.

Henson said: "Rio 2016 was always the aim but some people thought Tokyo was more realistic.

"With hard work and determination you can prove people wrong.

“I am here with a bronze medal around my neck - I mean they don't give these out, you have to work hard for them."

A dad-of-one, Fareham-based Henson was schooled at St George Catholic College in Swaythling.

He is a life member of Southampton Athletics Club and trains at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.

Henson won silver behind Whitehead in the 200m T42 at the European Championships in Grosseto, Italy in July before running a then personal best 25.05 to finish third behind Whitehead at the London Grand Prix a few days before being named in the Paralympic squad.

But he bettered that on Sunday, running 200m in his blades below the 25sec mark for the first time in a time of 24.74, behind Whitehead (23.39) and 14-year old South African silver medallist Ntando Mahlangu (23.77).

Henson was also British captain at the inaugural Invictus Games in 2012, when he won gold in the 200m ambulant IT2.

But his first Paralympic medal is the highlight of his athletics career thus far and was congratulated by the likes of Linford Christie on social media.

Henson helped Team GB to their best day at a Paralympics since 2004.

GB claimed eight golds; three from four rowing finals, two on the cycling track and swimmer Bethany Firth won her second gold of the Rio Games - Britain's 50th medal, before Joanna Butterfield won the F51 club throw.

By the end of day four Britian had 56 of the targeted 121 medals - one more than won at London 2012 - and are second on the medal table behind China.

The absence of Russia, banned by the International Paralympic Committee for state-sponsored doping, helps, but so far the ParalympicsGB team is delivering after their Olympic counterparts surpassed their targets last month.

"This has followed on from the success of Team GB, to try and be the greatest team ever," said Whitehead, the track and field team captain.

New Forest swimmer Alice Tai had taken bronze in the S10 100m backstroke the previous day.

Poole-born Tai – who is only 17 - began her swimming career at the Seagulls club in Christchurch.