The champion Maitland swimmer (pictured) showed grace beyond her years after the biggest race of her short career on Monday morning Australian time.

The 17-year-old claimed her first individual gold in the pool at the Rio Paralympic Games, where she won the S8 category 100m freestyle event.

In her moment of triumph, the Gillieston Heights swimmer, in front of a national television audience, paid tribute to her friend Jade Frith.

Jade, a young swimmer and close friend of Elliott, tragically died after she was hit by a car at Warners Bay earlier this year.

“She’s been my best friend for so long, and since I lost her a couple of months ago I’m going to dedicate this medal to you,” Elliott told a Channel 7 reporter at the poolside immediately after her victory.

Elliott’s decision to dedicate her gold medal to Jade will go down as one of the most touching moments of the 2016 Games.

It came after a stellar performance in the pool, where Elliott led at the turn and finished strongly from lane three to claim gold.

She will head into the 100m backstroke final as one of the favourites on Wednesday morning, before she tries for another gold in the 50m freestyle event on Saturday.

There’s no doubt that Elliott’s attitude in and out of the pool is something all aspiring athletes should shoot for. She’s a champion we should be unreservedly proud of.

After the excitement of the Olympic Games earlier this month, the Rio Paralympics have continued the showcase of international athletes at the pinnacle of their disciplines.

The Paralympics are often hailed as inspirational –  so emotionally evocative that the athleticism, commitment and grace of competitors fail to receive proper recognition.

To put it into perspective, consider Tuesday’s Paralympic performance of athletes in the 1500m track final. Four vision-impaired top finishers recorded faster times than the gold medal Olympic run from American Matthew Centrowitz.

It’s a reminder that the Paralympic Games aren’t just about the spirit of sport and the goodwill that can spring from it.

They are a platform where athletes compete on a world stage and achieve greatness.