Colombian President congratulates Carlos Serrano

The swimming Paralympic champion was praised by Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan Manuel Santos for finishing second in the IPC’s ‘Allianz Best Male Athlete of the Month’ poll. 19 Oct 2016

Carlos Serrano Zarate COL takes the Gold Medal in a new World Record time in the Men's 100m Breaststroke.

ⒸSimon Bruty for OIS

By IPC

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has tweeted his congratulations to Paralympic swimming champion Carlos Serrano for finishing second in the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) Allianz Male Athlete of the Month poll for September after a hugely successful Rio 2016 Paralympics.

In Rio, the 18-year-old won Colombia’s first Paralympic gold medal in 36 years in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB7 together with a silver and bronze medal.

His achievements earned him a nomination to the IPC Allianz Male Athlete of the Month poll where he finished second behind Iranian powerlifter and Rio 2016 gold medallist Siamand Rahman.

“Congratulations Carlos Serrano, voted the world’s second best Paralympic athlete of September. His achievements inspire Colombia,” posted Nobel Prize winner Santos via Twitter.

Serrano’s next big challenge will be the Mexico City 2017 World Para Swimming Championships.