Brazilian multiple world and Paralympic champion Daniel Dias won an incredible seventh gold medal at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships on Sunday (19 July), completing a full-house of world titles across all seven days of competition.
The win in the men’s 100m freestyle S5 was Dias’ 24th World Championships gold. The 27-year-old looks in excellent shape with just over one year until he competes at his home Paralympic Games at Rio 2016, where he will defend six titles.
Dias remained modest even when faced with his mammoth achievement: “You are always getting better,” he said.
As well as leaving Glasgow 2015 as the most decorated athlete, he also adds a Championships record with a time of 1:08.85. The USA’s Roy Perkins (1:15.96) took silver and Great Britain’s Andrew Mullen (1:16.68) was also pleased with bronze.
There were another four world records set on the final day of competition, to bring the total number to 38.
Belarusian world and Paralympic champion Ihar Boki (54.44) made it an incredible five world records and six golds from Glasgow 2015 in the men’s 100m butterfly S13. The 21-year-old is now a 16-time world champion.
Russia’s Roman Makarov (57.52) took silver, whilst Australian Timothy Antalfy (57.58) tied with Azerbaijan’s Dzmitry Salei to take joint bronze.
Ukrainian newcomer Yelyzaveta Mereshko (1:12.21) sensationally broke the women’s 100m freestyle S6 for the second time in one day, having already brought down the mark in the heats.
The win is Mereshko’s third gold medal of the competition, with her teammate Viktoriia Savtsova (1:13.44) taking silver. Australian Tiffany Thomas Kane (1:15.05) set a new Oceania record, also for a second time in less than 12 hours, to take bronze.
In the men’s 100m backstroke S14, Russian Viacheslav Emeliantsev (59.26) brought down the world record for the win set by South Korean silver medallist Inkook Lee (59.88) in the heats. Dutch world and Paralympic champion Marc Evers (1:00.42) sealed bronze.
The infamous `Tollcross Roar’ reached its peak when Great Britain’s Tully Kearney (2:31.08) pulled away from the rest of the field to win gold in the women’s 200m individual medley SM9 in a new European record time. The mark is the 18-year-old’s second of the day, and brings her gold medal total to three.
China’s Ping Lin (2:38.91) swam to a new Asian record for silver ahead of Ireland’s bronze medallist Ellen Keane (2:40.31).
Delighting the home crowds once again was Jessica-Jane Applegate (1:06.75) who executed an incredible finish to win gold in the women’s 100m backstroke S14.
“I didn’t even do my make-up!” Applegate gushed. “I wasn’t even meant to get onto the podium! I can’t believe this has happened – I’m not even a backstroker! It means everything to me.”
Russia’s Valeriia Shabalina (1:06.80) sealed silver and Australian Corry Taylor (1:09.52) got the bronze.
The Great British team of Alice Tai, Claire Cashmore, Tully Kearney and Susannah Rodgers (4:52.89) retained their world title in the women’s 4x100m medley relay 34 points. Australia (4:53.88) set an Oceania record for silver and Russia (4:56.66) took bronze.
The three golds take the hosts to fifth place in the medals table.
Colombian world champion Nelson Crispin (1:06.60) set a new Americas record in the men’s 100m freestyle S6, to finally win gold after two second place finishes this week. Ukrainian Oleksandr Komarov (1:07.81) and Germany’s Sebastian Iwanow (1:09.18) finished second and third respectively.
China’s Paralympic champion compatriot Yang Yang (59.60) swam an Asian record in the men’s 50m backstroke S2. Russia’s Dmtrii Kokarev (1:00.19) led Ukrainian Serhii Palamarchuk (1:00.55) onto the podium.
Yang’s teammate Guizhi Li (31.18) set a new Championships record on her way to gold in the women’s 50m freestyle. Mary Fisher (31.78), the 2013 world champion, collected silver and Sweden’s Maja Reichard (32.74) the bronze.
Japan’s Keichi Kimura (1:02.98) set a new Championships best to take his second gold of the week in the men’s 100m butterfly S11. Ukrainian Oleksandr Mashchenko (1:03.05) and Spain’s Israel Oliver (1:04.24) rounded-off the top three.
Spain’s Paralympic champion Teresa Perales (1:21.77) took the world title in the women’s 100m freestyle S5. Norway’s Sarah-Louise Rung (1:22.84) got silver whilst Brazil’s Joanna Maria Silva (1:24.01) set a new Americas record for bronze.
Canada’s Aurelie Rivard (4:34.06) took the gold from French 2013 world and Paralympic champion Elodie Lorandi (4:38.77) in the women’s 400m freestyle S10.
“I’ve been fighting for this title for three years and it’s the first time I’ve beaten my personal record since London [2012], so I couldn’t be happier right now,” Rivard said. “When I touched the wall and I saw the No.1, I thought `was it a mistake?’, but I’m so happy right now.
“This has been amazing, it’s my best meet so far. Two golds, two silvers – I couldn’t ask for a better meet.”
It is 19-year-old Rivard’s second gold medal of Glasgow 2015. Poland’s Oliwia Jablonska (4:39.62) was third.
Russia rounded off their Championships with a further six golds, firmly securing their place at the top of the medals table.
Roman Zhdanov (43.81) leaves Glasgow 2015 as a double world champion, beating Mexico’s world and Paralympic champion Juan Reyes (44.85) in a new Championships record time in the men’s 50m backstroke S4. Russia’s Aleksei Lyzhikhin (46.97) was third.
World champion Denis Tarasov (25.34) further contributed to Russia’s first place finish in the medals table with a win and Championships record in the men’s 50m freestyle S8. China’s Yinan Wang (26.66) and Tarasov’s teammate Konstantin Lisenkov (27.31) were second and third.
Dmitry Bartasinskiy (4:09.50) dominated the men’s 400m freestyle S10, establishing an unassailable lead to seal his first individual gold. Canada’s Benoit Huot (4:11.55) showed he is still amongst the best in the world in the classification, taking silver. Ukrainian Dmytro Vanzenko (4:13.03) was third.
Huot was pleased with his performance ahead of the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games which start on 7 August: “It’s the first time I’ve swam in the 400 since London. I took it away from my programme because I always felt it was a difficult one for me, but I know it’s a race I could do well when I’m in it and it’s another very good example of how I could do.
“I’m happy, looking good for next year and I think this will give me the motivation to stick around and try to do it again.”
Sergey Sukharev (28.32) topped the podium in the men’s 50m freestyle S7. Ukrainian Yevheniy Bohodayko (28.55) was second whilst Australian Matthew Levy (28.71) picked up bronze.
Ani Palian (33.67), a bronze medallist from London 2012, beat the USA’s 2013 world champion Cortney Jordan (33.70) into first place in the women’s 50m freestyle S7. Germany’s Denise Grahl (34.72) was third.
Darya Stukalova (1:04.13) took her second gold of the Championships in the women’s 100m butterfly S13. The USA’s Rebecca Meyers (1:05.03) took more than one second off the nearly 20-year-old S12 world record to take silver.
“I’m thrilled with how I’ve done this meet,” Meyers, who has won two golds and set a total of three world records in Glasgow, said. I learnt a lot from this meet, so I’m going to back home work on what I need to and then build-up going into Rio.”
Poland’s Joanna Mendak (1:05.69) set a new S13 European record for bronze.
Alexander Agafonova (1:09.19) took the top spot in the women’s 50m backstroke S2. Ukraine’s Irya Sotska (1:13.36) and Norway’s Ingrid Thunem (1:15.14) completed the podium.
There was an Australian one-two in the women’s 50m freestyle S8, with returning world champion Maddison Elliott (30.52) taking her fourth gold of the Championships. Lakeisha Patterson (31.62) took silver and Russia’s Olesya Vladykina (31.65) bronze.
Elliott said: “I feel amazing to retain my world title again. It wasn’t the best race but I just wanted to go out and do my best. It wasn’t a PB [personal best] but I’m still happy with the result.”
Italy’s Federico Morlacchi (2:17.76) faced-off for gold with Russian Andrei Kalina (2:18.38) in the men’s 200m individual medley SM9, fighting it out until the wall. Hungary’s Toth Tamas (2:21.46) sealed bronze.
Arjola Trimi (51.87) won Italy’s latest gold medal of the Championships in the women’s 50m backstroke S4. Bai Juan (52.68) collected another silver for China, whilst Brazil’s Edenia Garcia (54.96) was third.
At the end of Glasgow 2015, Russia finish with 32 golds, 19 silver and 20 bronze. Ukraine take second with 21 golds, 27 silver and 15 bronze. The USA secured third place with 11 golds, 11 silver and eight bronze.
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2015 International Paralympic Committee IPC Swimming, Live Results – Results