LONDON - Cheeky Paralympic swim star Maddison Elliott has offered a feigned apology to Prince Harry for beating British competitors in their own pool.
Australia's youngest ever Paralympian, at two months shy of her 14th birthday, Elliott had collected a medal of every colour when she met the third-in-line to the British throne on Tuesday.
The chirpy NSW teenager, who has cerebral palsy, was called on for a royal rendezvous after heats at the London Games aquatic centre.
"We talked about me winning a gold medal last night," Elliott said, referring to Australia's podium-topping performance in the 4x100m freestyle relay on Monday.
"He was saying 'you're stealing all the gold medals off the British team' and I said 'I'm sorry'."
However, asked if her apology was genuine, a resolute Elliott answered: "No."
Boasting an S8-class relay gold medal, silver in the S8 50m freestyle, and bronze in the S8 400m freestyle, Elliott will take a heavy bag back Down Under, with more medal events still to come.
"I can't get tired yet because I've still got about maybe three, definitely two races left," Elliott said on Tuesday night.
"I'm so young and I've still got lots of energy in me."
Having dreamt of meeting a prince or princess during her visit to London, Tuesday's royal encounter was a special occasion for Elliott who left Harry with a memento: Aussie mascot Lizzie the lizard — a small stuffed toy.