Para Swimming World Series
- Barcelona, Spain
- March 20-23, 2025
- LCM (Long Course Meters)
The first inaugural meet of the Para Swimming World Series went off at the end of March, and there was a lot of fast swimming. Brazilian swimmer Gabriel Araujo, nicknamed Gabrielzinho, won four gold medals and made the podium in all six of his individual events.
More impressive than his numerous top event finishes, however, was his new World Record in the 150m IM, swimming 3:22.25 to break his previous SM2 Record in the event.
Courtesy: World Para Swimming
Five-time Paralympic champion Gabriel Araujo, who captivated the hearts of fans at Paris 2024 Paralympics with triple gold medals, returned to his first international competition this season in style.
The Brazilian delivered a near-perfect performance making the podium in the six events he competed, shining with four golds at Barcelona’s inaugural World Series meet. Araujo’s incredible show also propelled Brazil to top of the medals table in the first-ever meet in the Catalonian city.
Gabrielzinho, as he’s popularly called, triumphed in the men’s 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly, and in the 150m medley event in which he also smashed his own SM2 class’s world record, lowering his mark in more than a second, and clocked in 3:22.25.
Araujo also finished third in the men’s 50m backstroke and 200m freestyle to secure other two bronze medals for the crew.
Brazil also topped the podium in women’s events with Patricia Santos (SB3) and Mariana Ribeiro (S9) winning the women’s 50m breaststroke and 100m backstroke events, respectively. Ribeiro also grabbed two silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle while her teammate Mayara Petzold (S6) also finished second in the women’s 50m butterfly.
British triumphs
Great Britain followed Brazil on the medals table with Paralympic champion William Ellard taking home two gold (men’s 200m and 400m freestyle) and two silver medals (men’s 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly).
Ellard (S14) was crowned best male junior athlete in the last year’s Series.
Mark Tompsett (S14) and Iona Winnifrith (SB7) secured the other two gold medals for the British squad winning the men’s 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, respectively.
Winnifrith (SM7) also got a bronze medal in the women’s 200m medley while Harry Stewart (SB14) grabbed a silver in the men’s 100m breaststroke to complete Great Britain’s medals haul.
¡Enhorabuena, España!
The home nation also had their moment of glory with their stars Antoni Bertran and Miguel Luque collecting several medals including gold in their respective categories.
Three-time Paralympic silver medallist, Bertran (SB5/SM5) collected gold medals in the men’s 100m breaststroke and 200m medley while Luque (SB3), a two-time Paralympic champion, was the winner in the men’s 50m breaststroke.
They also added a medal each in the 200m freestyle and 150m medley.
Spain also had other medals winners including Beatriz Maldonado (S9) in the 100m backstroke, Delia Cervera (SM3) in the 150m medley, Nahia Borrezo (SB7) in the 100m breaststroke and in the 400m freestyle, and Maria Nadal (S12) in the 100m butterfly, among the female athletes.
In the men’s events, Vicente Gil (SB3) finished second in the 50m breaststroke and Jian Candial (SM9) in the 200m medley.
The full results of the Para Swimming World Series Barcelona 2025 can be checked here.
Asia, here we go!
After two meets in two consecutive weeks, the Para Swimming World Series now makes a quick pause to catch its breath before heading to Asia for another debut in the sport calendar.
Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan is the next city to host a Series meet for the first-time ever as hundreds of athletes are expected to gather for three days of top-level performances from 10 to 12 April.
April will be another busy month for the swimmers as the competition will cross the globe from Japan to America, returning to Indianapolis, USA.
The full Para Swimming calendar is available here.
