Funchal 2016: Action to check out on day five

More than halfway through the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships, day five (5 May) will see a mix of young and experienced athletes race.

Here are just a selection of events which can be viewed live at Funchal2016.com from 9am (WEST) for the heats and 5pm for the finals.

Women’s 100m backstroke S8

Great Britain’s Stephanie Slater missed the 2015 World Championships because of injury, missing out on the chance to repeat her medal haul from the Euros the previous year.

Slater left as the most decorated female swimmer in 2014 with seven gold medals – one from every event she competed in.

Now she is back and aiming to return to full fitness in time for Rio 2016. Slater will be tested by Russia’s Oleysa Vladykina, the Worlds bronze medallist and silver medallist from 2014.

Women’s 200m individual medley SM11

Germany’s Daniela Schulte is the defending title holder here, and is preparing for her third Paralympic Games.

Estonia’s Elisabeth Egel is making her 2016 debut as the silver medallist from the last Euros, and is still just 15 years of age.

Men’s 50m freestyle S2

Russia’s defending champion Dmitri Kokarev has cleaned up in Funchal this week, winning two medals and setting world records in all of his events.

As the silver medallist in this event from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the Russian will be looking to improve in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.

However, Ukraine’s Serhii Palarmarchuk will make his Paralympic debut having already medalled at the European Championships in 2014, behind Kokarev.

The 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships run until 7 May.

Morning sessions start at 9:00am (WET) each day, whilst the evening sessions get underway at 5:00pm.

Live updates and behind the scenes content will be posted to @IPCSwimming and IPC Swimming’s Facebook.