Para Swimming World Series – Copenhagen
- March 10th-12, 2017
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Multi-Class Placing
- Results
Copenhagen, Denmark hosted the first stop of the newly-created Para Swimming World Series meet from March 10th-12th. Besides being the first stop of a 4-month long series by the newly-rebranded Para Swimming organization, it was also the first major post-Paralympic opportunity for athletes to renew or get initial classification. Given how volatile classifications have been lately, those classification screenings results will come under great scrutiny.
Editor’s note: in a Multi-Class event, swimmers from all classes advance to a single final, and are placed within that final, based on their points scored in the World Para Swimming Point System. This system scores times based on a scale for their classification group. This means that the swimmer who touches the wall first and has the fastest time isn’t always the winner.
The stars came out for this initial meet in the series, with a team of American Paralympic gold medalists crossing the pond for the event.
That includes Jessica Long, owner of 13 Paralympic gold medals. She started the series off with wins in the multi-class final in the 100 free (1:08.36) and 400 free (4:58.27); as well as a runner-up placing in the 200 IM (2:49.33).
One of Long’s American teammates, Leanne Smith, stole most of the headlines though. She broke the S3 World Record in the 50 butterfly in prelims with a 53.23, and then was reclassified as an S4 and broke that record in finals with a 49.46. The previous record in S3 stood at 56.00 by Mexico’s Patricia Benitez, and the previous S4 record stood at 52.09. That included a monstrous 1084 point swim in prelim, and then a 1047 point swim in finals when compared to the S4 classification.
Smith also set the American Record in the S3 100 free (1:57.12), though in that case it wasn’t enough to advance her to the final. The previous record was set by Beth Kolbe in Manchester in 2005, where she was a 2:38.16.
American Evan Austin joined her in the record books with a 30.07 in the 50 fly. He was a touch slower in finals, but his 30.21 was still good enough for gold in the meet.
The meet’s next stop will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, before the tour moves on to Sheffield, Great Britain; Indianapolis, USA; and Berlin, Germany.
Other Highlights of the Meet:
- Canada’s Jonathan Deleman set a National and Continental Record in the 100 breaststroke with a 2:03.95 (SB3).
- Norway’s Sarah Louise Rung was just 6th in the 50 fly final won by Smith, but won the 100 breaststroke (1:45.50 – SB4), the 50 breaststroke (49.35 – SB4), and 200 IM (3:23.29 – SM5). Her 100 breaststroke was worth 1022 points – one of only 6 1000+ point swims at the meet, and 3rd only to Smith’s 50 butterfly swims.
- American Rebecca Meyers won the 200 free (2:09.76 = S13 – 1001 points), and placed 2nd to Smith in the 50 fly and Long in the 400 free.
I am amazed that people feel the need to say such hateful things about someone they do not know, and who’s journey they know nothing about. Leanne Smith is no cheater, and has earned every medal through hard work and determination. She has overcome more obstacles, and challenges, than most people will go through in a lifetime. She is a fighter, and deserves nothing but respect for her accomplishments. Before you pass judgment on someone, you should know the facts, so as not to show your ignorance.
Not everyone has a disability that is set and stays the same, some people have degenerative diseases and health issues that result in sometimes even dramatic classification changes. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
she swam fast times!!!!!! she did a lifetime best as a an S4 she swam faster as a S4 then an S7 She is a plain out cheater.
I don’t understand why everyone is upset that Leanne Smith swam faster now than she did as an S7. She could be the USA’s next Jessica Long and I think that will do good for America. God Bless. She seems to have a lot of potential. A big jump from S7 to S3 then moved up to a 4 based on a fast swim but like SwimBetter said, some conditions are degenerative. Maybe despite training, she just wasn’t good enough as a S7. Do you want to be in a wheelchair USACHEATS? I wonder what medication she is on because I thought Dystonia causes severe spasms made worse by intense repetitious movements? It would appear from her photos that she… Read more »
You do realize if someone’s condition is degenerative they get a lower class right it’s simple. The lower the class the lower the time standard because there disability effects them more hence the slower time standard. I agree that Leanne smith should not be a S7 but if she was degenerative to the point of being an S4 she would definitely not be this fast especially doing a personal best in the 50 fly .Her interviews on the para swimming instagram go check it out. This is not fair
Leanne Smith is anything but a cheater. Over the past year she has suffered great physical set backs and loss of mobility but always comes back stronger than ever. She is incredibly focused and driven and works hard for every honor and ever medal hung around her neck. Not until you have spent a day in her wheelchair should you be able to make accusations you know nothing about and cannot back up. Any swimmer who shares the pool with Leanne should know that she is dedicated and embodies the spirit of the olympics. She feeds off the competitive energy and will continue to rise above it all and set new records. #BostonStrong = #Leannestrong
Am I right in reading that this Leanne Smith went in to classification as S7??
And was classed down to S3??
Until classification is taken out of the hands of the immensely corrupt IPC and given to an independent body this rot will continue and para swimming will continue to be completely meaningless.
I am 100% positive that when someone is moved down a class in swimming it is because thier physical state has gotten worse. Leanne Smith’s health has deteriorated so badly that she had to be moved down FOUR CLASSES.In my book, Leanne Smith is an inspiration. She is wheel chair bound but that will not stop her from doing what she loves. I have sit by her every hospital visit and I have seen her hit rock bottom. Seeing her bounce back and do what she loves everyday makes me immensely proud of her. She is better than you in very way, shape, and form. I’m not just saying this because she has more medals than you can imagine, I’m… Read more »
IPC World Championships will consist of Amputees and Cheats.
Maddison Elliott and Lakeisha Patterson both due for reclassification this year. The choices for them are England, Bonn or USA .. or World Championships Mexico. They’ll go where they know they’ll be looked after and remain S8s. Far too many staff are complicit unfortunately.
they need to be kicked out period. Queenie nicholes should be fired for condoning thi but i guess all she cares about is medals. where is her morals? I feel terrible for the honest kids in the sport.
I think they may have erred making her an S3 in prelims and moved her up to an S4 for finals. Thats what the results show. Even the S4 is too low. Swam a 6:24 400 free last May and seems to have really slowed down since then.
Evan Austin swam 2012 and 2016 Paralympics as an S8 but got moved down to an S7 at this meet. Seems to be following in Griswold’s footsteps by moving down a class. Maybe the IPC has new test standards that have not been made public.
Shelby Newkirk, a Canadian, committed serious intentional misrepresentation by swimming a 7:55 in her 400 free and 215 in her 100 breast observation swims at… Read more »
Not really surprised by this. Austin is questionable but it is worth mentioning that he used his chair the entire meet around the Classification folks who were at the meet. In every other situation including at the OTC where he lives as well as when he was in Rio. In terms of Leanne, she is completely guilty of misrepresenting herself based on her times from US Paralympic Trials and the winter Can-Am meet in December. The sad thing about this is that Queenie Nichols, the HPD for Para-Swimming is aware of this but has decided to do nothing about this. As a coach, all I can say is that the athletes on the national team are smart enough to know… Read more »
Of course more and more ‘athletes’ & staff will attempt to rort the system. Nothing was done about it in Rio. Cheaters were let off and prospered. It’s an easy and lucrative game. The IPC have a lot to answer for. Sickening.