The 2023 Para Swimming World Championships started with several world-record performance to kick off the meet in Manchester, England.
Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov set a Para world record in the men’s 200 IM SM7 category, reaching the wall in 2:28.19. The previous record was set by Israel’s Mark Malyar (2:20.01) in 2021.
China’s Guo Jincheng a world record during the Day 1 finals in the S5 class. In the men’s 50 free, Guo got to the wall in 29.78, lowering his own world record of 30.09 set in prelims.
Canada’s Shelby Newkirk won the women’s 100 backstroke S6 in a meet record 1:20.62. Nicholas Bennett won the 200 free S14 (1:54.75). Tess Routliffe won the 200 IM SM7 (2:57.77). Aurelie Rivard won the 50 free S10 (27.64).
Italy had a strong day with Carlotta Gilli winning the 100 fly S13 in a meet record 1:02.61. Alberto Amodeo won the 400 free S8 in 4:25.63. Xenia Francesca Palazzo won the women’s S8 400 free in 5:01.46 and Stefano Raimondi won the men’s 100 breast SB9 in 1:06.36. Monica Boggioni won the 50 breaststroke SB3 (55.55). Giulia Ghiretti won the 100 breast SB4 (1:50.64).
It was a strong day for China too, with two more gold medals. Yang Hong won the men’s backstroke S6 (1:15.17). Ma Jia won the women’s S11 50 free in 29.74.
Ukraine also got another gold medal with Oleksii Virchenko winning the S13 100 butterfly.
Great Britain’s Jessica Applegate won the 200 free S14 in 2:09.09. Suzanna Hext won the 50 free S5 (36.71). Ellie Challis won the 50 breaststroke SB2 (1:05.72). Stephen Clegg won the 100 back S12 (1:00.13).
Australia’s Rowan Crothers won the men’s Para 50 free S10 (23.42).
Mexico’s Amulfo Castorena won the men’s 50 breaststroke SB2 (57.76).
The Netherlands got a gold medal performance from Chantalle Zijderveld in the 100 breaststroke SB9 (1:13.03) and Rogier Dorsman in the 50 free S11 (25.89).
Korea’s Giseong Jo won the men’s 50 breaststroke SB3 (49.21).
Brazil’s Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago wont he 100 back S12 (1:08.89).
Greece’s Antonious Tsapatakis won the men’s 100 breaststroke SB4 (1:39.53).
The top Para performance for the U.S. was Julia Gaffney, who took silver in the 200 IM SM7. Bronze medals went to Olivia Chambers (100 fly S13) and Noah Jaffe (400 free S8).