World Series 2025: Gina Boettcher and David Kratochvil shine on return to Paris

The sixth stop of the 2025 Para Swimming World Series wrapped up in Paris with superlative performances and strong national showings across three intense days of competition at the Dome Saint Germain en Laye.

Germany’s Gina Boettcher (S4) was the standout athlete of the meet, earning four gold medals and one silver to top the women’s individual rankings. 

Boettcher captured gold in the women’s 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 150m medley and 200m freestyle, and added a silver in the women’s 50m breaststroke.

On the men’s side, Paralympic champion David Kratochvil of Czechia triumphed in the men’s 100m freestyle smashing the world record in the S11 class, clocking 56.07. He also bagged bronze medals in the men’s 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m medley.

French atmosphere

France, Germany, and the Netherlands ranked as the top three teams at the World Series in Paris. With multiple podium finishes across men’s and women’s events, the host nation France had plenty to celebrate on home soil.

Paralympic champion Ugo Didier (S9) and Paralympic medallist Alex Portal (S13) delivered a rare tie in the men’s 400m freestyle, each scoring 936 points to share the gold medal. 

Didier also claimed silver in the 100m backstroke and the 200m medley, while Portal added silver in the 100m butterfly.

France also claimed gold with Emeline Pierre (S10) in the women’s 100m freestyle, and Assya Espiau (SM14) in the women’s 200m medley – and had plenty of podium finishes, especially through Espiau, who had a strong showing with silver medals in the women’s 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke.

Led by Gina Boettcher’s triple gold, Germany also saw success with Josia Topf (S3) winning the men’s 50m butterfly and taking silver in the men’s 50m backstroke and 150m medley. 

Five-time Paralympic champion Rogier Dorsman (SB11/SM11) put the Netherlands on the top of the podium in the men’s 100m breaststroke and 200m medley. 

Paralympic champion Lisa Kruger (S10/SB9/SM10) brought more gold to the Dutch in the women’s 100m freestyle, and picked a silver in the women’s 200m medley and a bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke.

Kruger’s teammate, Florianne Bultje (S9) contributed with a gold medal in the women’s 100m butterfly and a silver in the women’s 50m freestyle.

Day 2 ✅

🇳🇱 The Netherlands was the most successful team on the second day of the Para Swimming World Series France 2025.

🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇪🇸 Spain, and 🇨🇭 Switzerland also had their national anthems played at at The Dôme Saint Germain en Laye. pic.twitter.com/kD1hvH5TE8

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) May 4, 2025

Double gold

Six other nations had their national anthems played at the Dome Saint Germain en Laye over the weekend.

Denmark’s Alexandre Hillhouse (S14) claimed two golds in his return to the city where he became Paralympic champion for the first time. He won the men’s 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly, and added a silver to his collection in the 100m freestyle.

Great Britain’s three-time Paralympic champion Alice Tai (S8) took home two gold medals in the women’s 100m backstroke and the 50m freestyle.

Ukraine’s Denys Ostapchenko (S3) was another swimmer with double gold in Paris, finishing first in the men’s 50m backstroke and men’s 150m medley.

Switzerland also celebrated twice with the victories of Monique Schacher (SB3) and Nora Meister (S6) in the women’s 50m breaststroke and 400m freestyle, respectively.

Colombia and Spain also topped the podium in the French stop of the World Series. Colombian S14 swimmer Juan Esteban Garcia was the winner in the men’s 200m freestyle, as Spain’s Miguel Luque (SB3) was the gold medallist in the men’s 50m breaststroke.

Full results of the Para Swimming World Series France 2025 can be found here. You can watch all races on YouTube.

Final stretch

After three legs in five weeks, the Para Swimming World Series 2025 has a one-month break before being back to action.

Paris, France was the last stop in the European continent as the competition now moves to the Americas. 

Guadalajara, Mexico will welcome the Series from 12 to 15 June for the third consecutive year. It will be the last meet before the Singapore 2025 World Para Swimming Championships to be held in Singapore from 21 to 27 September.

The 2025 Para Swimming World Series calendar is available here.