Ten multi-medallists hoping to impress at Glasgow 2015
24.05.2015With just 50 days to go until the swimming Worlds get underway on 13 July, a number of multiple medallists are preparing themselves to hit their peak once again.
(L-R) Lenka Zahradnikova of Czech Republic, Maryna Shtal of Ukraine, Deborah Font of Spain, Darya Stukalova of Russia, Yaryna Matlo of Ukraine, Raquel Viel of Brazil and Nicole Frycova of Czech Republic compete in the Women's 200m Individual Medley - SM12 heat at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
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With just 50 days to go until more than 550 of the world’s best athletes descend on Glasgow, Great Britain, for the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships, what better way to celebrate than a reminder of a selection of those who have multiple podium places to defend from 2013.
Tickets for Glasgow 2015 from 13-19 July are still available but are selling fast. Do not miss out on your opportunity to witness greatness this summer, at the biggest gathering of international swimmers ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Dmtyro Vynohradets, men’s S3
Ukrainian Vynohradets left the 2013 Worlds in Montreal, Canada, as the most decorated athlete with six individual gold medals and one as part of the winning men’s 4x50m medley relay 20 points team.
Darya Stukalova, women’s S12
Stukalova left Montreal as the most decorated athlete on the Russian team with five individual golds and one silver medal, no mean feat when you consider that they showed their competitiveness to finish second in the medals table with 19 titles.
Daniel Dias, men’s S5
After becoming Brazil’s most successful Paralympian at London 2012 by winning his 15th medal, Dias travelled to Montreal with nothing to lose. But the 26-year-old chose to leave it all in the water once again, and stood atop the podium six times to bring his World Championships titles total to 17.
Ellie Simmonds, women’s S6
A seven-time world champion for Great Britain, Simmonds’ track record has seen her win at least two gold medals at every Paralympic Games, World and European Championships since 2008.
Keichi Kimura, men’s S11
Five-time Asian Para Games champion Kimura is one of Japan’s current hottest properties in para-swimming, and the reigning world champion in the 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke. It was in 2013 that the 24-year-old won his first world titles and Kimura will be hoping that come 2016 he will be ready to challenge for Paralympic gold too.
Sophie Pascoe, women’s S10
Pascoe, alongside teammate Mary Fisher, won all but one of New Zealand’s gold medals in 2013 with a personal total of five. That was a 100 per cent record for the 22 year-old who in 2015 has gone on to set two world records.
Marc Evers, men’s S14
Normally a huge crowd-pleaser with his extravagant displays of delight when he wins, victory for Dutch triple 2013 gold medallist Evers never gets old. In 2014 he won his first European titles to bring his all-time major Championships and Games medal tally to nine.
Mary Fisher, women’s S11
Fisher’s growing profile in New Zealand could help her to glory at Glasgow 2015. Having won gold in London and then five world titles in Canada, Fisher has received a major national recognition every year since, most recently as the 2014 Para-Sportsperson of the Year at the 2015 Halberg Awards.
The ‘armless swimmer’, China’s Zheng is known as being the star of one of the most viewed videos from London 2012 where he won 100m backstroke gold in a new world record time. A year later, Zheng had added the world title in the same event and in the 50m butterfly.
Jessica Long, women’s S8
Perhaps one of the greatest swimmers ever to grace the pool and certainly one of the most famous, the USA’s Long will be in Glasgow looking for her 20th World Championships gold medal.
Tickets and media accreditation for Glasgow 2015 are still available, with tickets starting at GBP 10/15 for adults for heats/finals. Children under 16 go free (terms and conditions apply).
