PARA SWIMMING

Carlos Serrano

17 August 1998 Colombia

LATEST TRIUMPHS:: Rio 2016 Paralympic Games - Gold: 100m breastroke; Silver: 100m freestyle; 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships – Gold: 100m breaststroke

Find out about the full career

Related Images

Man in yellow training suit on a podium.

Swimmer in the water, doing breaststroke

Carlos Serrano Zarate COL takes the Gold Medal in a new World Record time in the Men's 100m Breaststroke. © • Simon Bruty for OIS

Related Videos: Swimming | Men's 100m Breaststroke SB7 final | Rio 2016 Paralympic Games; Campeón paralímpico | Carlos Serrano; Terminando competencias | Carlos Serrano; Colombia en la ceremonia de clausura | Carlos Serrano
Related News: Swimming: Five things we learned at Rio 2016; 10 athletes from the Americas who shined in Rio; Carlos Serrano gets ready for future challenges; Colombian President congratulates Carlos Serrano

Despite only taking up Para swimming in 2013, Carlos Serrano emerged as the man to beat in the men’s S7 at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

His debut season in 2015 saw him win World Championships gold in the 100m breaststroke SB7 in world record time.

Then, at the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games, he stormed to an impressive five gold medals all in Games record times and with a new Americas record in the 50m butterfly S7.

The performance placed him in the top five of the most decorated athletes and as Colombia’s most successful athlete, he was selected as the flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony.

A committed athlete, Serrano fits his training around his schooling as he believes that medals are won in training and you are “just picking them up at events.”

That could have been the mantra that drove him to win Colombia's first gold medal in 36 years at Rio 2016. He also added a world record to his gold in the 100m breaststroke, breaking the mark in the heats and finals on his way to the title.

His achievements have attracted the attention of the Colombian President as Serrano shot to national fame thanks to his performances in Brazil.