Madeira 2022: Five things to know

The countdown to the Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships continues as the world’s best Para swimmers will meet in the Portuguese Island from 12 to 18 June. 

Here are five important facts you need to know before the action starts in 50 days from now.

The stars are back

Madeira 2022 will be the first major Para swimming competition since the Paralympic Games last year in Tokyo. It will also be the biggest Para sport event ever to take place in Portugal and the number 1 Para sport World Championships this year with more than 600 athletes from over 70 nations set to compete.

Familiar waters

The Penteada Swimming Pool Complex has already hosted two European Open Championships, with athletes from other continents also allowed to compete. Funchal 2016 and Madeira 2020 both served as preparation for the Paralympic Games in Rio and Tokyo, respectively. 

50 is the magic number

Italy will be defending its first place in the medals table at this year’s World Championships. No other country put swimmers on the podium as often as the Italians did at the last edition in London, Great Britain in 2019. The Azurri finished with 50 medals in total (20 gold, 18 silver and 12 bronze).

… and Long is almost there

The most decorated active Para swimmer, USA’s Jessica Long took her Paralympic medal tally to 29 with six podiums at Tokyo 2020. Her World Championships record is even better. From Durban 2006 to London 2019, Long has picked 44 medals – including 31 golds. She can reach the 50 mark in Madeira.

It is Veiga, not Ronaldo

Portugal has already revealed its dream team to Madeira 2022! The island’s most famous export Cristiano Ronaldo will certainly be supporting the 10 swimmers (seven men and three women) representing his country at the World Championships. 

Susana Veiga is the home star returning to a place which brought her luck: at Madeira 2020, she triumphed in the women’s 50m freestyle S9 – Portugal’s first-ever gold medal in the European Championships. She also picked the only Portuguese medal at the last World Championships with a silver in the same event. 

More information about Madeira 2022 can be found here.