Glasgow 2019: Fantastic five on day three

World records tumbled on the third day of Glasgow’s World Para Swimming World Series as athletes from five countries won gold in Saturday’s six back- and breaststroke events.

German Elena Krawzow had lost her 100m breaststroke SB12 world record* to Brazil’s Maria Carolina Gomes on Friday night but earned the crown back with a 1:14.02 gold medal finish ahead of British pair Maisie Summers-Newton and Brock Whiston.

“For me it was a motivation to swim faster today, so that I could get it back,” Krawzow said.

With a 1:14.79 swim at the World Para Swimming World Series in Sao Paulo, Brazil the night before, Gomes had broken Krawzow’s SB12 class record time from Eindhoven, Netherlands, earlier this month. Krawzow hopes that the new rivalry can continue to push the time down.

“I’m sure that the other girls are watching this and want to take the record back,” she added.

Saturday’s afternoon session kick-started with a fast-paced women’s 100m backstroke final where two world record times were not enough to stop Italy’s Carlotta Gilli from winning the gold medal.

Runner-up Alice Tai of Great Britain (S8) and China’s bronze medallist Xinyi Wang (S11) both swam faster than anyone in their respective classifications had ever done – but had to leave the podium’s top spot for the Italian five-time world champion.

“I thought it would take a world record to win it,” Tai said.

“And even with a world record, I didn’t win but I’m still happy with it. It shows the level of competition here and just how far Para swimming has come.”

Tai's 15-year-old teammate Ellie Challis (SB2) joined the group of world record-breakers as she won the women’s 50m breaststroke final in 1:05.42, ahead of USA’s silver medallist Leanne Smith and third-placed Spanish Ines Rodriguez Martinez.

“I was always hoping to get the record,” Challis said.

“I thought it could happen but I didn’t know when. I thought maybe some time this year.

“I was trying to follow Leanne and try to keep up as fast as I can with her and then stay with her, and I’m very pleased with how it happened.”

Another home swimmer, Scott Quin, had smashed the men’s 100m breaststroke SB14 record with 1:05.28 in the morning and was only seven hundredths of a second slower as he won Saturday’s last gold medal in the event.

Spain’s Antonio Ponce Bertran and Colombia’s Carlos Serrano Zarate finished second and third respectively.

“Oh my lord, I’m trying not to say any curse words here, I’m so happy,” the Scotsman said.

“I’m happy the way I swam tonight, it’s very hard to go the way I went this morning but I haven’t done 65 (seconds) twice in a day before.”

The action at Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow concludes on Sunday with the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 50m backstroke competitions. Watch the live stream on World Para Swimming's website and Facebook page and get the results via British Swimming's website.

* World records are subject to ratification by World Para Swimming.