2017 Para Swimming World Series – Berlin
- July 7th-9th, 2017
- Berlin, Germany
- Multi-Class Scoring
- Final stop of the 2017 series
An astonishing 40 World Records were broken last weekend in Berlin, Germany at the final Para Swimming World Series in Berlin, Germany.
In a bombastic display, swimmers from across the world broke World Records in almost every class.
That included Italy’s Carlotta Gilli, who broke the World Record in the 200 IM in class SM13 with a 2:23.62 on Sunday. On the same day, she broke the record in the 50 fly with a 27.98 – finishing 2nd to Great Britain’s Eleanor Robinson in the multi-class scoring system.
The opening day of the meet had 12 World Records alone. In the men’s 200 backstroke, the top four finishers each broke records in their respective classes. That includes American Robert Griswold, who won the race. He swam 2:17.77 to clear the old S8 record of 2:22.04 set in 2015.
“I am really proud of my race. I have not swum in two years competitively, but I knew I had a lot in me. It is great to be here in Berlin,” said Griswold.
Other records in that event:
- Great Britain’s Jonathan Fox broke the S7 World Record in 2:32.68
- Netherlands’ Oliver van de Voort broke the S10 World Record in 2:06.41
- Great Britain’s Jordan Catchpole broke the S14 World Record in 2:18.31.
The Brits were the big winners on day 1. Besides the two backstrokers, Jessica-Jane Applegate broke the World Record in the 400 IM in 5:13.91, winning from the SM14 class, and Megan Richter broke the S8 record in the women’s 200 back in 2:45.97.
American Aspen Shelton finished 4th in the women’s 200 backstroke, and her 2:30.69 was good enough for an S13 World Record.
Berlin was the final stop of the inaugural Para-Swimming World Series, and Brazil’s Daniel Dias and Italy’s Monica Boggioni have been declared the series’ overall champion.
Dias – Brazil’s most decorated Paralympian – finished top of the men´s rankings with 2,034 points which he gained at the fourth World Series meeting in Indianapolis, USA. Chile´s Alberto Abarza’s best performance came at the second World Series in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when he earned 2,032 points. The Netherlands´ Marc Evers (1,998) completed the top-three.
Italian teenager Boggioni topped the women´s rankings after an outstanding performance at the final World Series event in Berlin, collecting 2,113 points. Great Britain´s Bethany Firth (2,098) ended second and Kazakhstan’s Zulfiya Gabidullina (2,094) third.
Australia’s Lakeisha Patterson (2,037 points) and Great Britain’s Jordan Catchpole (1,910 points) took the top junior honors.
The Brits, buoyed by their record-setting performance in Berlin, won the overall national federation awards.
Top 3 nations:
- Great Britain (8,122)
- Netherlands (7,906)
- Italy (7,814)
I understand the need to run a clean and fair event and organization overall. If there is a true issue, it needs to be handled. But the comments I just read through are less than fair as well. I know for a fact that the para swimming athletes that I know personally don’t choose their issue but have fought to create a life, working around their set of circumstances. I know for a fact that they work hard in and out of pool, training 6 days a week so they continually improve their swimming. To lump them all into a group because they don’t have a disability that is presenting itself in a way you have experienced in your life… Read more »
I have not posted for a while but reading JUST ME comments shows the lack of insight into this issue regarding IM and cheating that is being coached to these swimmers.
1 taking a cold shower before classification
2 being given a 2hr training session before classification
3 faking a limp
4 struggling to mount blocks
5 faking hand posture
6 being classified NE the year before and after a year of being coached by Jan Cameron your more disabled and get classified.
Now not all swimmers cheat but those who do under instruction of their coaches do so fully prepared in how to act and what to say.
Medical reports can… Read more »
And this can. Not come soon enough let’s home Sponsors are aware of the cheating and withdraw their funding , I’m sure if it was drugs they would be on it well this is no diderant cheating is cheating and too many real disabled swimmers are leaving the sport they love ,
I disagree. It is very easy to cheat the system. Look at the paperwork required. Anyone can doctor that to fit the ‘condition’. There are no checks in place to determine validity. The paper work is uploaded on to a database by people with no medical expertise. The same people whose livelihoods depend on medal tallies. The classifiers, supposedly independent of the IPC, read the documentation and examine the athlete. Unless the classifiers understand Cerebral Palsy, which so far none appear to do, then it’s easy to exaggerate during bench testing. You also need to look at the facts. Video evidence exists of Lakeisha Patterson cheating DURING classification in 2014. These videos were taken by Aus Sport Scientist Dr Danielle… Read more »
She certainly appears to have set a precedent with several copy cats following her example.
Obviously it works!!
Totally agree again. Paige Leonhardt had to be reclassified before Rio because she underwent Botox within 2 months before the games. Is it just me thinking this or would this be similar to someone taking PEDs before a competition?? Quite funny that her Neurologist didnt pick up Cerebral Palsy until 10 years after and she has none of the associated conditions that come along with it. Either way, IPC need to really look at fixing all this and changing up the classes. Maybe what they need to do is make all neuros Reviews and not confirmed, even the current confirmed swimmers. Something I have wondered about as well is none on the countries are protesting either. Whats going on there?
Most likely the agreed course of action between Australia and the IPC. Paige Leonhardt does not have Cerebral Palsy and as such, there is absolutely no need for her to endure Botox treatment – a painful medical procedure which eventually weakens the stability of the involved limb. I very much doubt that she did as no neurologist in their right mind would administer this treatment if it wasn’t necessary. The photographs of her wearing an ATO over track pants is laughable at best. Yes Paige, we see it. But we also see you hopping on to the dive block with absolutely no sign of Cerebral Palsy. The Botox you received and the ATO – why? You have full stretch through… Read more »
AFO – Ankle Foot Orthotic, apologies for the typo. According to the mother, Tanya, on her gofundme page (now deleted after raking in a small fortune) Paige Leonhardt was to ‘trial BOTOX’ and wear a ‘full leg AFO’. An AFO is as it is described and anyone familiar with Hemiplegic CP would know that. All of this nonsense with Paige Leonhardt was also reported to the IPC via TwoBirds Law Firm. Your guess is as good as mine about what really is going on here.
Well well well this is a complete mockery of para swimming , just look at the names against the disability , of course they broke records they are in the wrong class , 40 come on Ipc this is a complet
And utter joke , can not wait for this to be sorted , and I for one will be first in line to say I told you so ,
And he sad sad thing is so many swimmers now
Leaving after years of trying and training so
So hard yet they feel such an unfair system and cannot compete with able bodied ,
40 World Records at one meet.
Nothing smelly about that at all. Sure the able bods will match that no problem at all.
That’s why the now call para swimming is for
The failed swimmers that didn’t not reach finals in AB swimming
I am looking forward to the IPC awarding Australian Lakeisha Patterson with her Female Junior Swimmer of the World Series award. Absolutely staggering that they continue to support her blatant cheating. Simply informing her to stop claiming that she suffers from Parkinson’s apparently is as far as they went. This will be a first for them though – presenting a Para award to an athlete they know to be able bodied and who has committed IM three times between 2014 and 2017. Pathetic and absolutely rotten to the core.
40 World Records is exceptionally high and I doubt that swimmers would have tapered fully for this type of meet, they would still be in a block of hard training.… Read more »
I finally have to agree with you on something there Shonda. It is a known fact around many countries that Lakisha Patterson has been “slipping” information in relation to her team mates to other parties before it is released but she is not the only one either. Information about classifications down to personal information as well. What a team mate!!!! The downside is, the other athletes that she has sent it to are not prepared to come forward and show evidence because they are worried about their position on their home team. It would be interesting to see what Swimming Australia are doing about this if at all anything. Probably nothing I would say. Let’s watch this space and see… Read more »
People are not going to keep quiet forever Sarah.
The pressure is mounting and ultimately she will be busted.
It will only take one coming forward and the floodgates will open.
Wouldn’t look good for Swimming Australia if half the team are excluded for telling the truth.
Interesting. Let’s see what Swimming Australia do then. Surely one cannot lie about having such a serious illness as Parkinson’s and not face any disciplinary action within ones sport. In my book that constitutes bringing Swimming into disrepute.
That’s a lovely culture they have going if swimmers are too frightened to come forward, That is nothing to be proud of. Culture needs to be addressed from the top down and these swimmers should be offered anominity. It’s all turning out to be quite the scandal for Swimming Australia actually. Management are obviously complicit with the ongoing fraud/IM & bullying swimmers into silence within their swim team. Someone has to take responsibility.
This is very true ! And agree with everything you are saying
I find it interesting that all the aussies classified in Indianapolis are up for review next year.
Paige Leonhardt, another Australian lying about Cerebral Palsy, has been classified in 2015, 2016 and 2017. She will also be classified yet again in 2018. If there is doubt about these swimmers, which clearly there is, then they should be suspended from competition.
Fluid on the brain following a car accident at the age of 5. How this can be called Cerebral Palsy is beyond me. Too many are claiming this disability. Any medical expert knows that Cerebral Palsy is a condition that occurs before, during or immediately after birth. Also another thing everyone may want to take a gander at is all the athletes who are claiming this disability. It’s quite interesting that all the suspect ones are claiming the left side is affected where as all the legit cases are affected on their right side. Think about it.
Sarah he claim it because it’s the easiest to fake, and pretend to have cla hand or limp , we have a new swimmer here in uk is doing exactly that , we also have swimmers now following the top , and saying they are worse and now been put down and is now a record holder , have a look at Megan Richter a class example of being a 9 for about 7/8 years never a limp now she had claw hand and a very impressive limp and was put down yet swam with an amazing kick a fab dive and went an Pb and got records I really hope the net is closing in on the cheats and… Read more »
Yes Shonda, how can Boggioni be an S4? She can dive off the block, stand completely unaided and still for many minutes at a time and walk up a difficult terrain, thus being the podium at Berlin, albeit holding onto someone’s arm. She still uses a chair but I just don’t get how her function puts her into the S4 class. I actually feel sorry for the other italian Trimi, Mexican Miranda Nely, Aus Watson and American Smith because it’s going to be a tough comp for them. No issue if athletes condition changes, it just means they should be reviewed more often I guess, eg I think Trimi will go to a S3 one day etc.
This meet lines up well for the swimmer to taper and then peak again at worlds in 10-11 weeks so it makes sense that there was a lot of fast swimming. What I want to know is why they chose mexico city for world championships at altitude over 7000 ft and then its held so late in the season. I am wondering how many swimmers they will actually get at that meet, the Berlin meet may end up being the largest meet of the year. China, Russia(suspended) and Ukraine didnt send one swimmer to any of the 5 world cup meets and they have no swimmers on the 2017 world rankings because they havent participated in an IPC sanctioned meet.… Read more »
What’s wrong with altitude? Are international games only for sea level now?
As for timing, that I can’t répond but I am curious as well. In Canada most of our parathletes that are participating are university age and deferred a semester or just did online courses.
It’s probably fine for the short races but I wouldn’t expect another 40 world records
I know a few para athletes that arn’t allowed to go to altitude due to medical conditions/disability. Sad some may miss out due to this.
Oliver van de Voort is a leg amputee, 2:06 200 back is VERY impressive