Manchester 2023: Ones to watch

This year’s World Championships' line-up boasts swimmers from across the globe at the peak of their performance during seven days of medal events at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.

Here are some of the ones to watch at the Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships. 

Carlos Serrano (Colombia) 

At age 14 Carlos Serrano did not know how to swim, and just three years later in 2016 he won three Paralympics medals in Rio, including one gold. He picked another Paralympic gold in 2021 in Tokyo going one better to finish with four medals. The Colombian has 11 World Championships titles to his name and is the defending world champion from Madeira 2022 in the men’s 200 m individual medley SM7.  

When to watch: men's 200m individual medley SM7 – Day 1 (31 July) 

Gabriel Araujo (Brazil)

Araujo won three gold medals at his World Championships debut in Madeira, Portugal last year in the 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke. His Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo the previous year had been as impressive with two golds and one bronze medal. This extraordinarily talented freestyle and backstroke S2 powerhouse also captivates the crowds with his broad smile. 
When to watch: men's 50m backstroke S2 - Day 6 (5 Aug) | men's 200m freestyle S2 – Day 4 (3 Aug)  

Maisie Summers-Newton (Great Britain)

Maisie Summers-Newton marked her World Championships debut in 2019 by winning a medal of each colour at home in London. Then she added two gold medals to her collection at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics before taking three world titles at Madeira 2022. Summers-Newton turned 21 just five days before the World Championships and will be one of the crowd's favourites at the Manchester Aquatics Centre. 

When to watch: women's 200m individual medley SM6 - Day 3 (2 Aug) | women's 400m freestyle S6 – Day 4 (3 Aug) | women's 100m breaststroke SB6 – Day 6 (5 Aug) 

Rogier Dorsman (The Netherlands) 

At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the Dutch swimmer won three gold medals in the 400 metre freestyle S11, 200 metre individual medley SM11 and 100 metre breaststroke SB11. He was even more impressive at the 2022 World Championships in Madeira, coming away with five gold and two silver medals.  

When to watch: men's 400m freestyle S11 - Day 7 (6 Aug) | men's 200m medley SM11 – Day 4 (3 Aug) | men's 100m breaststroke SB11 – Day 3 (2 Aug)

Simone Barlaam (Italy)

With 31 medals to his name Barlaam lets nothing hold him back after taking up swimming aged 15. He is 13-time world champion and eight-time European champion. He won one gold at his Paralympic debut in Tokyo and brought home five gold medals at last year's World Championships in Madeira.

When to watch: men's 100m butterfly S9 - Day 3 (2 Aug) | men's 100m freestyle S9 - Day 4 (3 Aug) | men's 400m freestyle S9 - Day 5 (4 Aug) | men's 100m backstroke S9 - Day 6 (5 Aug) | men's 50m freestyle S9 - Day 7 (6 Aug) | 

Tanja Scholz (Germany)

Told she would never swim again after a horse-riding accident in 2020, Scholz went on to become the winner of the 2022 Citi Para Swimming World Series season. She made her major international debut at last year’s World Championship winning two gold, two silver and a bronze medal. 

When to watch: women's 100m freestyle S4 - Day 2 (1 Aug) | women's 50m freestyle S4 – Day 5 (4 Aug) 

Timothy Hodge (Australia) 

The 22-year-old represented Australia at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio and 2020 in Tokyo bringing home two silver and a bronze from Japan. Manchester will be his third World Championships and Hodge arrives as the 200m medley SM9 defending champion and world record holder. 

When to watch: men's 200m medley SM9 - Day 2 (1 Aug) | men's 100m backstroke S9 – Day 6 (5 Aug)  

Yip pin Xiu (Singapore)

A five-time Paralympic gold medallist and five-time world champion, the Singaporean Paralympic star will be competing in the two events she also holds the world record in: the 50m backstroke S2 and 100m backstroke S2. Last year, she received the International  Paralympic Committee's International Women's Day Recognition Awards in the Emerging Leader category.

When to watch: women's 100m backstroke S2 - Day 3 (2 Aug) | women's 50m backstroke S2 – Day 6 (5 Aug)

More information about the Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships can be found here.