The 2025 World Para Swimming Championships are under way from Singapore.
There were several records broken with a fast start to the meet.
Germany’s Tanja Scholtz, Great Britain’s William Ellard and Brazil’s Alessandra Oliveira Dos Santos set world records on Day 1, while big names in the U.S. like Mallory Weggemann, Katie Kubiak, Grace Nuhfer, Morgan Stickney and Olivia Chambers earned victories.
On Day 2, Germany’s Taliso Engel and China’s Jiang Yuyan set world records.
Here is a look at the first couple of days of action.
World Para Championships Day 1
The men’s 400 freestyle S8 final saw Italy’s Alberto Amodeo earn the goal medal in a championship record time of 4:23.27. Andrei Nikolaev took the silver (4:24.06) and Australia’s Callum Simpson finished with the bronze in an Oceania record of 4:25.76.
The first women’s final of the meet was the 400 free S8 final. Great Britain finished 1-2 with Alice Tai claiming the gold (4:59.00) and Brock Whiston taking the silver (4:59.21). Spain’s Nahia Zudair Borrezeo earned the bronze (5:03.69).
In the men’s 100 breaststroke SB9 final, France’s Hector Denayer earned the gold in 1:05.28, followed by Artem Isaev (1:06.46) and Italy’s Stefano Raimondi (1:07.29).
Lisa Kruger of the Netherlands won the gold in the women’s 100 breaststroke SB9, getting to the wall in 1:15.71. New Zealand’s Gabriella Smith took the silver (1:19.56), ahead of Elizaveta Sidorenko (1:20.27).
The men’s 50 breaststroke SB2 final saw Mexico’s Jose Arnulfo Castorena Velez won gold (57.41). Bosnia Herzegovina’s Ismail Barlov took the silver (58.55), ahead of Igor Bobyrev (1:02.13).
The women’s 50 breaststroke SB2 was won by Germany’s Tanja Scholtz in a world record time of 1:00.95 The silver went to Great Britain’s Ellie Challis (1:10.39), while Diana Koltsova won the bronze (1:14.36).
China’s Guo Jincheng claimed the gold medal in the men’s 50 free S5 in 30.11. Ukraine’s Artem Oliinyk took the silver (31.42) and Brazil’s Samuel da Silva de Oliveira earned the bronze in 31.67.
Italy’s Monica Boggioni won gold in the women’s 50 free S5 in 38.37. Czech’s Agata Koupilova took the silver (41.27) and Finland’s Natalie Ornkvist claimed the bronze in 41.48.
The men’s 100 butterfly S13 gold went to Egor Shchitovskii in 55.47. Ukraine’s Oleskii Virchenko took the silver (55.74) and France’s Alex Portal took the bronze in 56.51.
The women’s Para 100 fly S13 saw the first U.S. winner of the meet as Grace Nuhfer claimed the gold medal in a time of 1:03.33. Italy’s Carlotta Gilli won the silver (1:04.26) and Ireland’s Roisin Ni Riain claimed bronze (1:04.47).
“I’m feeling over the moon,” Nuhfer said. “This is definitely something I’ve been putting a lot into and it’s just so fulfilling, and I’m blessed to see it pay off.”
China’s Yang Hong took gold in the men’s 100 back S6 in 1:14.94. Croatia’s Dino Sinovcic earned the silver (1:15.88) and Italy’s Antonio Fantin took the bronze (1:16.07).
China swept the event as Jiang Yuyan won the women’s 100 back S6 in a meet record of 1:20.13. Switzerland’s Nora Meister took the silver in 1:14.47 and Ukraine’s Anna Hontar claimed the bronze (1:25.02).
Great Britain’s William Ellard won the men’s 200 free S14 in a world record time of 1:51.08. Brazil’s Gabriel Bandeira took the silver in am Americas record of 1:52.03 and Canada’s Nicholas Bennett earned the bronze (1:53.97).
It was a sweep of the 200 free S14 for Great Britain as Poppy Maskill earned the gold in the women’s event in 2:06.19. She led a 1-3 finish as Louise Fiddes took the bronze (2:07.51) behind Valeriia Shabalina (2:06.32).
The men’s 200 IM SM7 saw Argentina’s Inaki Basiloff earn the gold medal in 2:30.95. South Africa’s Christian Sadie took the silver in an African record 2:34.03 and Aleksei Ganiuk claimed bronze (2:41.66).
USA’s Mallory Weggemann continued her elite career with another gold medal, this time in the 200 IM SM7, getting to the wall in 2:54.75. Ukraine’s Veronika Korzhova took the silver in a European record (2:56.50) and Great Britain’s Iona Winnifrith took the bronze in 3:01.29.
For Paralympic champion Weggemann, it was a full-circle moment as she claimed her 16th world title in an event she had been striving to return to for 15 years.
“The 200m IM has always been my favorite event,” said Weggemann. “I last won it at a long course world championship in 2010, which is 15 years ago, but it’s so special to do so with Charlotte, my daughter, in the stands with my husband and family. To represent Team USA after all these years is such an honor.”
The world championship appearance also marks the first time Weggemann has competed in the event the year after the Games.
“To do that and be within a second of my time in Paris last summer, that’s absolutely wild. This is setting the stage for what I can expect in LA.”
The men’s 50 free S11 was won by Czech’s David Kratochvil (25.52). Spain’s Mahamadou Dambelleh Jarra took the silver (25.88) and Brazil’s Thomaz Rocha Matera claimed bronze (26.17).
The women’s Para 50 free S11 was won by Daria Lukianenko (30.22). Cyprus swimmer Karolina Pelendritou took the silver (30.30) and Lisette Bruinsma of the Netherlands took the bronze (30.34).
Israel’s Ami Omer Dadaon claimed the gold medal in the men’s Para 50 breaststroke SB3 in 48.17. Japan’s Takayuki Suzuki took the silver (48.53) and Italy’s Efrem Morelli won the bronze (49.43).
Italy’s Monica Boggioni earned her second medal of the day, taking gold in the 50 breast SB3 in 53.95. Mira Larionova took the silver (56.33) and Brazil’s Patricia Pereira Dos Santos took the bronze (57.70).
Azerbaijan’s Raman Salei took the gold in the men’s 100 backstroke S12 in 1:01.58. Maksim Vashevich took the silver (1:02.17) and USA’s Evan Wilkerson won the bronze (1:03.05).
The women’s 100 back S12 gold went to Maria Carolin Gomes Santiago Araujo (1:09.42). Great Britain went 2-3 with Ela Letton-Jones (1:12.44) and Astrid Carroll (1:12.97).
The men’s 100 breaststroke SB4 gold went to Dmitrii Cherniaev (1:33.39). Colombia’s Moises Fuentes Garcia took the silver (1:38.94) and Greece’s Antoios Tsapatakis took the bronze (1:39.73).
Brazil’s Alessandra Oliveira Dos Santos won gold in the women’s 100 breaststroke SB4 in a world record of 1:43.21. Italy’s Giulia Ghiretti took the silver (1:52.47) and Spain’s Berta Garcia Grau won the bronze (1:56.23).
The Para men’s 50 free S10 gold went to Australia’s Rowan Crothers, who led a 1-2 finish with Thomas Gallagher. Crothers tied the Oceania record in 23.21. Gallagher finished in 23.46. Ukraine’s Ihor Nimchenko took the bronze (23.58).
Turkey’s Defne Kurt finished night one with a win in the women’s 50 free S10 in a meet record 27.21. Italy’s Alessia Scortechini took the silver (27.91) and Canada’s Arianna Hunsicker claimed the bronze (28.59).
World Para Championships Day 2
The men’s 100 free S4 gold went to Israel’s Ami Omer Dadaon, his second win of the meet, in 1:19.49. Italy’s Federica Cristiani took the silver (1:21.27) and Mexico’s Angel De Jesus took the bronze (1:23.39).
USA’s Katie Kubiak earned gold in the women’s 100 free S4 in 1:22.34. Mira Larionova took the silver (1:28.97) and Brazil’s Lidia Viera da Cruz took the bronze (1:29.46).
‘It’s just so surreal still to be here, and the energy has been great in the arena,” said Kubiak. “I’m really proud of my first swim, and it’s nice to have the first one under the belt. I’m excited for the rest of the week.”
“The first one is the toughest one for me, so I didn’t really have a time that I wanted in mind, I just wanted to give the best that I had tonight so I’m really happy with it.”
China went 1-2 in the men’s 50 backstroke S5 final. Yuan Weiyi took the gold medal, matching the meet record of 32.59 and Guo Jincheng claimed the silver in 33.36. Brazil’s Samuel da Silva de Oliveira took the bronze (33.60).
China swept the event with a win in the women’s 50 back S5. He Shenggao took the gold in 39.72, followed by Turkey’s Sevilay Ozturk (43.75) and Sumeyye Boyaci (44.87).
In the men’s Para 150 IM SM3, Germany’s Josia Topf won the gold in 2:55.06. Australia’s Ahmed Kelly took the silver (3:04.29) and Italy’s Gabriele Lorenzo took the bronze (3:09.05).
In the women’s race, Germany’s Tanja Scholz won gold to complete the German sweep in 2:54.47. USA’s Leanne Smith took the silver (3:04.48) and Great Britain’s Ellie Challis took the bronze (3:16.50).
Italy’s Federica Bicelle won the men’s 400 free S7 title in 4:39.52. Argentina’s Inaki Basiloff took the silver (4:43.76), ahead of Aleksei Ganiuk (4:55.00).
USA’s Morgan Stickney lead a 1-3 U.S. finish in the women’s 400 free S7 race. Stickney finished in 4:58.82 to earn the gold. Ahalya Lettenberger took the bronze in 5:22.54, behind Australia’s Chloe Osborn, who took the silver (5:18.94).
“I just went for it,” said Stickney. “I wasn’t sure where I’d be…I had a really rough year. Just three and a half months ago, I lost my stepdad, and two weeks ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer, so just being here is amazing. I know that they’re so proud of me and I’m so proud of myself.”
The men’s 100 free S6 final saw Italy’s Antonio Fantin claim gold (1:03.32). Colombia’s Nelson Crispin Corzo took the silver (1:05.20) tying Ukraine’s Vladyslav Koshman.
The women’s Para 100 free S6 final saw China’s Jiang Yuyan win the gold medal in a world-record swim of 1:09.58. Ukraine’s Anna Hontar took the silver (1:13.86) and Switzerland’s Nora Meister claimed the bronze (1:14.77).
The men’s 200 IM SM10 saw Italy’s Stefano Raimondi win gold in 2:10.28. USA’s Koehn Boyd took the silver in 2:10.85 and Ihor Nimchenko took the bronze (2:12.67).
Turkey’s Defne Kurt earned another win, this time in the 200 IM S10 women’s final, finishing in 2:28.30. Great Britain’s Faye Rogers took the silver medal (2:28.52) and Lisa Kruger of the Netherlands claimed the bronze (2:32.07).
The men’s 100 backstroke S8 final was won by Spain’s Inigo Llopis Sanz (1:05.29). Ukraine’s Eduard Horodianyn (1:06.18) took he silver and Turkey’s Turgut Aslan Yaraman took the bronze (1:06.52).
Great Britain’s Alice Tai earned another medal, this time a gold in the 100 back S8 in 1:13.04. Viktoriia Ishchiulova took the silver (1:16.36) and Germany’s Mira Maack claimed bronze (1:19.38).
Czech’s David Kratochvil won the 100 butterfly S11 in 1:00.83. Brazil’s Thomaz Rocha Matera took the silver in an Americas record (1:02.39) and Japan’s Keiichi Kimura won the bronze (1:02.63).
France’s Kylian Portal won the men’s 100 fly S12 final in 57.84. Dzmitry Salei won the silver (57.87) and Azerbaijan’s Raman Salei took the bronze (58.17).
The women’s fly S12 saw Spain’s Maria Delgado Nadal win gold in 1:06.62. Brazil’s Lucilene da Silva Sousa took the silver (1:08.02) and Italy’s Alessia Berra won the bronze (1:08.19).
Australia’s Benajamin Jance won the men’s 100 back S14 title in 56.25. Brazil’s Gabriel Bandeira took the silver (58.37) and Great Britain’s William Ellard claimed the bronze (58.95).
Great Britain swept the podium in the women’s 100 backstroke S14 final. Poppy Maskill won the gold medal in a meet record time of 1:05.09, while Bethany Firth took the silver (1:05.54) and Georgia Sheffield won the bronze (1:06.27).
Germany’s Taliso Engel won the men’s 100 breast SB13 in a world record 1:01.69. Thomas Van Wanrooij of the Netherlands took the silver (1:06.01) and Stepan Listskii took the bronze (1:07.69).
USA’s Olivia Chambers earned the gold medal in the women’s 100 breaststroke SB13 in 1:17.34. Ireland’s Roisin Ni Riain took the silver (1:18.78), ahead of Anastasiya Zudzilava (1:19.23).
“I’ve been working on my breaststroke,” said Chambers. “I have two different strategies that I’ve been working through. I was ironing out those details this morning and just really hit it home tonight and wanted to have a lot of fun with it.”
“It feels amazing to grab my first world title. I’m just super grateful to be here.”
The men’s 200 IM SM9 saw Australia’s Timothy Hodge claim the gold medal in 2:14.49. France went 2-3 with Hector Denayer taking the silver in 2:15.63, just one hundredth of a second ahead of Ugo Didier, who claimed the bronze.
Canada’s Mary Jibb earned a gold medal in the 200 IM SM9 final to close out the Day 2 individual finals with an Americas record swim of 2:32.90. Spain’s Anastasiya Dmytriv took the silver (2:35.36) and Hungary’s Zsofia Konkoly took the bronze (2:36.09).
Ukraine won the Para mixed 200 free relay in a meet record 2:18.36 with Anna Hontar, Oleksandr, Komarov, Artem Oliinyk and Hanna Polishchuk combining for the win.
Brazil’s Lidia Viera da Cruz, Tiago de Oliveira Ferreira, Mayara Do Amaral Petzold and Samuel da Silva de Oliveira took the silver in 2:21.09.
The U.S. took the bronze in 2:21.62 with Adin Williams, Katie Kubiak, Zach Shattuck and Leanne Smith.
