Ireland's successes in the Paralympics showed no sign of losing momentum yesterday as David Malone got in on the act, winning a a gold medal in a 100 metres backstroke final that was quite literally too close to call. Mairead Berry had earlier underwritten her status as one of the stars of the Games with a silver to add to the gold and silver already earned in the pool.

Malone's race was the most exciting swimming event to date, his battle with Holger Kimmig of Germany resulting in a dead heat. The time of one minute 9.09 seconds meant both contestants not only took gold but also a share of a new Paralympic record.

The Ballinteer swimmer had started the stronger, too strong according to his coach, and was the leader as the couple turned at the halfway stage. But Kimmig forced his way back into contention, catching the 22-year-old with 25 metres to the finish as the Irishman began to tie-up. Another massive crowd, 13,000, in the Aquatic Centre, sensed a classic and roared their approval as the two swimmers vied for the win. At the touch it was impossible to call and there were a few anxious moments for the Irish before the scoreboard displayed the result to be a dead heat.

After the race Malone, who has been putting in over 40,000 metres a week in training, was quite happy to share his big moment: "This is what I came to do, I knew I was capable of doing it and I swam a good race, probably not my best ever . . . but I held on in the end to get the result that mattered."

The pre-race favourite conceded that the pressure of being the world number one had caused some jitters throughout the day. However, the double-leg amputee forgot his nerves once in the pool and set about the business of winning gold.

"He gave us an awful shock," his relieved coach Kevin Williamson said afterwards. "I'm delighted but it was very, very close."

Mairead Berry had earlier crowned a Paralympic campaign that had exceeded all expectations by collecting silver in the 50 metres freestyle final. Berry was narrowly beaten in a duel for gold with Vicki Broadribb of Britain, both swimmers coming home under the existing world record time.

The Coolock competitor chooses to swim the freestyle events using the backstroke, a discipline from which she can gain greater speed than the crawl.

Broadribb swam the crawl, and in the finish proved slightly too quick, breaking the world record she had earlier set in this morning's heats, her time of one minute 15.46 seconds being nearly two seconds faster than Berry.

It should have been closer but Berry collided with the ropes five metres from the finish, losing her rhythm at the crucial surge for the touch.

"Only for the bang into the ropes I think I would have won," was Berry's verdict of the race. "But I've three medals now and a world record so I can't complain. What else can I ask for?"

"She's had a wonderful Games," beamed her coach Leo Green.

In Stadium Australia confusion surrounded the conclusion of the pentathlon, with former rugby player Garrett Culliton losing out in a controversial manner. Culliton's total of 3940 points was just six shy of a medal, the equivalent of 0.5 seconds in the 800 metres, the final event.

The score set a personal best for the Laois-born athlete, but the manner in which the event ended left a sour taste in the mouth. The 800 metres had been scheduled for a re-run, the referee ruling a crash had affected the outcome.

Five minutes before the re-run was due to start, with the competitors warming up in their racing chairs, officials informed them an appeal from the Italians not to restage the race had been upheld and the original result would stand. That left Culliton in fourth spot.

"I suppose that's the way it goes sometimes," said Culliton afterwards. The 30-year-old still has the opportunity for a medal in today's shot-putt.