Swimmers to represent Portugal at opening World Series

Portugal will be represented at the first World Para Swimming World Series event in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 11-12 March by Daniel Videira, David Grachat and Ricardo Soares.

Triple Paralympian and World and European medallist Grachat headlines the team. In 2016, the 30-year-old took bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle S9 at his home European Championships in Funchal.

Grachat will compete in the men’s 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle S9.

Two swimmers will make their international debuts. Daniel Videira, 25, and Ricardo Soares, 17, will accompany Grachat to Copenhagen.

Carlos Mota will coach the team at the event, which begins a series of five World Series competitions that will take in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Sheffield, Great Britain; Indianapolis, USA; and Berlin, Germany.

The world’s best athletes will get the chance to compete between March-July before they head to Mexico City for the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships.

All athletes’ results at each World Series edition will be calculated using a standardised points system via an online virtual competition platform. This will ensure that the overall World Para Swimming World Series winner will be the best performing athlete over the duration of the series, meaning that every performance counts.

Ahead of the competition, between 18-19 February, the trio will also be competing in the National Winter Championships of Adapted Swimming in the Municipal Swimming Pools of Mealhada. A total of 163 swimmers from 26 clubs are expected to line-up for that competition.