Glasgow ‘very important’ for Dias on road to Rio

Brazil’s multiple world and Paralympic champion is more determined than ever to keep pulling in the medals at the 2015 swimming Worlds.

Having looked at the entry lists for the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain, this July, Brazil’s 17-time world champion Daniel Dias is gearing up for what he believes will be the most important competition ahead of Rio 2016.

The S5 swimmer will swap the sandy beaches of Sao Paulo for a slightly more temperate Glasgow, where he plans to add to his remarkable medal tally from 13-19 July.

“I see Glasgow as very important” Dias said. “I can see most of the athletes who will be in the World Championships also competing in Rio. I hope to maintain my results and do even better.”

The 27-year-old is Brazil’s most decorated Paralympian with an incredible 15 medals, including ten gold, from ever Paralympic Games since Beijing 2008. He is also the current world record holder in all events on the programme.

To take one step closer on his road to Rio, Dias has recently returned from training and competition in the USA alongside his teammates, many of whom are also expected to do well at Glasgow 2015. They will now travel to Tenerife, Spain, to make the most of the last few weeks of preparation time.

Brazil will certainly need it, as he faces a strong field of athletes including Great Britain’s rising star and Glasgow local Andrew Mullen. Mullen collected his first European titles in 2014, and just over one second separates the pair in the 50m backstroke world rankings this year.

But with such fierce competition that also includes the USA’s world champion Roy Perkins, Dias knows he has to put the hours in. He will also compete at August’s Parapan American Games in Toronto, Canada, where he will be defending seven titles.

“I am training hard to get good results in the World Championships and then the Pan-American Games,” he said.

The 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships will see around 580 of the world’s best swimmers from nearly 70 countries compete in the biggest qualification opportunity for Rio 2016.

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/glasgow2015.

Media accreditation is also available at: www.paralympic.org/glasgow-2015/media.