Citi World Series 2024: Hodge leads hosts, Ni Riain impresses in Australia

More than half of the podiums during the Citi Para Swimming World Series Australia 2024 had a Dolphin on their highest spot.

The Dolphins, as the Australian Para Swimming Team is known at home, completely dominated the three days of action wrapping the Series on Sunday with a total of 12 gold medals out of the 23 up for grabs at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC).

Paralympic medallist and world Champion Timothy Hodge visited the top of the podium more often than anyone other teammate picking three triumphs followed by Benjamin Hance and Jake Michel with two victories each.

Hodge (S9) collected gold in the men’s 100m butterfly, 200m medley and 400m freestyle. He also added a silver to his haul in the men’s 100m backstroke. 

“I’m preparing for Paris 2024 by ensuring I leave nothing to chance, working my hardest, making sure all that hundred per cent are on point and ready for it, and just giving my all every day in the pool”, said the 23-year-old Hodge.

Paralympic champion Hance (S14) left the MSAC’s had a great performance at his strongest event, the men’s 100m backstroke, in which he won his first-ever Paralympic gold at Tokyo 2020. He was also the winner in the men’s 50m butterfly.

Michel (S14) added two gold medals to the Australian count in Melbourne in the men’s 50m and 100m breaststroke.

In women’s events, Jasmine Greenwood (S10) bagged a gold medal for the hosts in the 50m freestyle and two silver medals in the 50m and 100m backstroke.

Five for Ni Riain

If the hosts dominated the Citi Para Swimming World Series Australia 2024 with their 61-strong squad, a single name from overseas stole the spotlight – Ireland’s Roisin Ni Riain.

Ni Riain had an impressive performance over the weekend collecting five gold medals and leading her nation to the second place of the medals table.

The S13-swimmer triumphed in the women’s 50m and 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 200m medley.

“I’m really happy with that performance, it’s always fun to get out there again and kind of start off in January. It’s the lead into Paris now, so it’s an exciting road ahead”, said the Irish swimmer.

Ireland also took another gold medal with Nicole Turner (S6) in the women’s 50m butterfly, in a one-two finish with her teammate Dearbhaile Brady (S6) finishing second. 

The other Irish podium finishes came with Paralympic champion Ellen Keane’s (SB8) silver medal in the women’s 50m breaststroke and Deaten Registe’s (S14) bronze in the men’s 100m breaststroke.

Golden Poland

Other three nations topped the podiums the Citi World Series in Melbourne.

Poland grabbed three gold medals, two of them with Oliwia Jablonska (S10) in the women’s 200m and 400m freestyle. The third one came with Kamil Otowski (S1) in the men’s 50m backstroke.

Jablonska also bagged a silver medal in the women’s 200m medley while Otowski won a bronze in the men’s 100m backstroke.

USA and Spain left Australia with one gold medal each with McKenzie Coan (S7) in the women’s 100m freestyle and Spanish teenage star Anastasiya Dmytriv Dmytriv (S9) in the women’s 50m breaststroke.

The complete results of the Citi Para Swimming World Series Australia 2024 can be found here.

Next stop: Italy

With the second meet concluded, the Citi Para Swimming World Series now takes a three-week break before moving to Italy.

Lignano Sabbiadoro is the next destination of the Series from 14 to 17 March in of the most traditional meets of the Citi World Series attracting hundreds of Para swimmers from all around the world.

Before Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, other four meets are scheduled: USA in April, Singapore and Berlin in May, and France in June.

The World Series 2024 will then resume in November with a stop in Mexico and Egypt in December.

The season kicked off in Great Britain and you can look back at all the action here.