August was a big month for IPC swimming, with the two biggest regional meets on the IPC schedule (the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships and the European Swimming Championships) both taking place.
As a sign of the significance of the month, four of the six nominees for August’s IPC Young Athlete of the Month category are swimmers (with a 5th nomination coming from the world of triathlons).
That includes American Ian Silverman, an 18-year old who is beginning his college career at USC this fall. On August 6th, he broke the World Record in the men’s S10 400 freestyle swimming a 4:03.57: breaking a 13-year old record. He added to that American Records in the S10 100 fly (58.19), and the SM10 200 IM (2:13.77). In total, he won an impressive 7 medals at that meet.
You can vote on the IPC home page here (NO registration required).
See the rest of the nominees below, courtesy of the U.S. Paralympic Committee.
- Chantalle Zijderveld, swimmingAt just 13-years of age, Zijderveld is the Netherlands’ latest swimming prodigy after taking gold in the 100m breaststroke SB9 in a new European record time on home soil at the IPC Swimming European Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
- Maria Lyle, track and fieldGreat Britain’s Lyle, at just 14-years-old, won double gold at the IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, Great Britain, to beat Italian world champion Oxana Corso in the women’s 100m and 200m T35.
- Federico Morlacchi, swimmingMorlacchi is one of Italy’s biggest medal hopes heading towards Rio 2016. The 20-year-old won his first European title and five gold medals at the IPC Swimming European Championships.
Lauren Steadman, triathlon
- Great Britain’s Steadman caused the shock of the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Edmonton, Canada, with the 21-year-old beating compatriot and four-time world Champion Faye McClelland to end her dominance of the PT4 category.
- Andrew Mullen, swimmingGreat Britain’s 17-year-old Mullen put in an excellent display at the 2014 Europeans, winning four gold medals and setting two new European records
Ukraine’s Yevheniy Bohodayko was already named the Male Athlete of the Month award winner for August. So far, the Italian Morlacchi has a substantial lead on the rest of the nominees.
Wondeful swimmer and a réal motivator for thé Young up and coming athlètes.
Ummmm Side question
Are Jewish folks allowed to have a tattoo ?
I thought he was NOT in the Olympics but he has the rings tattoo? What is that about ?
Swim sweep – each person’s religious decisions are their own in the United States, so yes, Jewish people are “allowed” to have tattoos in the United States.
Ian swam at the Paralympic Games in 2012, where he won a gold medal in the 400 free. So yes, he’s earned the rings.
This 16 year old swam his first international competition (which happen to be the London Games) 1 month after losing his best friend. The tattoo has his best friends initials and the rings. I think God understands.
I voted! 🙂
Come on US SwimSwammers, Ian needs your vote! He’s way behind with only 1.5%!!!