Paris 2024: A look back at Para swimmer Ihar Boki’s unstoppable campaign in Paris
With a total of 21 gold medals, Ihar Boki became the most successful male Para swimmer at the Paralympic Games while in Paris 09 Sep 2024
Ihar Boki was unstoppable in the pool at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. He won all five of his events at La Defense Arena, bringing his gold medal tally to 21. He is now the most decorated Para swimming athlete in history.
Competing at his fourth Games, he won his fifth event – the men’s 200m individual medley SM13 – on 3 September in a world record time of 2:02.03. He touched the wall 4.63 seconds ahead of French hero Alex Portal, who took silver for his fourth medal in Paris.
“Every (gold) medal means that I was even better than before. Every medal and every record have its own story, its own history,” Boki said.
“All the medals show and prove that the hard work was worth it. Every medal has a special feeling. I never get bored of that.”
Five golds in Paris
Boki, who was competing as a Neutral Paralympic Athlete in Paris, made his Paralympic debut at London 2012. Since making his debut, he has won at least five medals at every Games.
Boki, who has a vision impairment, started swimming at a young age and knew he wanted to continue competitively. At London 2012, he took home five gold and a silver medal and broke four world records.
He finished the Rio 2016 Paralympics with six golds, the most won by any athlete across any sport in the Brazilian city. At Tokyo 2020, he topped the podium five times at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
When you have won so many golds, does the taste of victory get old?
It never does, the 30-year-old athlete said.
“For me, swimming is my lifestyle. I like it so much, and I am trying to keep up with my best results,” he said during the Games.
“I don’t have any particular goals. Obviously I want as many as I can.”
Secret to success
Boki was unbeaten in Paris, winning the men’s 50m freestyle S13, 400m freestyle S13, 100m backstroke S13, 100m butterfly S13 and 200m individual medley SM13.
Does he have a secret to his success?
“My secret is that it should be a team effort between coach and athlete. The athlete should trust the coach, and the coach should listen to the athlete.
“Sometimes you need to work more, sometimes you need to relax more. I’m not as young anymore, and so my regime is changing a little bit, but because we work as the same team we can decide what is best for me.”
He sees his rivals growing as well – especially the French brothers Alex and Kylian Portal, who were competing in front of a home crowd. The brothers are both younger than Boki – Alex is 22 and Kylian is 17, promising great potential in the next years and at LA 2028.
“I recognise that the brothers, one day, will grow up and beat me. I am just glad that, for now, I am the first one,” Boki said.
He understands that there will be a time when he will lose – and he is fine with that.
"It's sport: today you lose, tomorrow you win. For me, it's important to take the times that I lost properly with a smile, because it helps you to get ready for the next race and to win the next race.
"If you get upset and try to blame yourself, it will hinder your performances in the future."
