LONDON - Humanitarian Moira Kelly texted her adopted son Ahmed before his Paralympic final to tell him she was right behind him.
He didn't need reminding.
Born with significant disabilities in all four limbs, he knows he and his brother Emmanuel hit the jackpot the day she took them from a Baghdad orphanage to Australia for medical treatment in 1998.
Moira and Emmanuel were in the stands at the Olympic aquatic centre for Ahmed's SB3 50m breaststroke.
Ahmed finished fourth, two seconds off bronze in the SB3 50m breaststroke.
"It was not quite the ending that I was after," he said.
"I just wanted to go out there and race, I was so nervous.
"First final of the Paralympic Games, getting your name called and walking up to your blocks.
"It was just unreal."
He said he had been touched by the warm response to his story from the Australian public and thanked his mother.