Funchal 2016: Action to check out on day six

Spain’s Sarai Gascon will go for a 100 per cent win record in her sixth race, but will have to get past the Netherlands’ European champion Chantalle Zijderveld. 06 May 2016
Imagen
A swimmer starts their race

Spain's Sarai Gascon is in line to be the most decorated athlete from the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships.

Ⓒ© Luc Percival Photography. All rights reserved.
By IPC

With just two days remaining of the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships, the last major event ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, swimmers will be looking to secure their places in the record books.

Here is a guide of what to look out for on Friday (6 May) at Funchal2016.com.

Men’s 100m freestyle S5

Brazil’s 10-time Paralympic champion Daniel Dias has had a bit of a mixed competition in Funchal, missing out on several golds that he was expected to win.

That was until he broke his men’s 50m backstroke S5 world record on Thursday night.

Dias is the world and Paralympic champion in this event, unbeaten at a major Championships or Paralympic Games since 2008. He has also promised world records at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Women’s 100m freestyle S5

Spain’s Teresa Perales won her first 100m freestyle Paralympic title on her Games debut at Sydney 2000 and like Dias, has won gold at every Paralympic Games since.

At the European Championships, Perales will be looking for her second individual gold of the week in her favourite event.

However Norway’s Sarah Louise Rung has occupied the top spot on the podium ahead of Perales four times in Funchal.

Women’s 100m breaststroke SB9

Spain’s Sarai Gascon is currently the most decorated athlete at the 2016 Euros. With four individual and one relay gold, the 23-year-old has not lost a race.

This event will be her final swim and she will be aiming to finish on a high.

However the Netherlands’ Chantalle Zijderveld, a youngster at the age of 15, is the reigning world and European champion in the 100m breaststroke SB9, and the new world record holder as of April this year.

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.