Manchester 2023: Italy set the stage on opening night

The 11th edition of the Worlds got off to a blistering start with new world records and 26 champions crowned on day one of the Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships on Monday (31 July).

Italy wasted no time snatching up six golds, setting themselves up nicely to repeat the success of last two Worlds (London 2019 and Madeira 2022) where they topped the medals table. 

Alberto Amodeo started the golden wave for Italy when he retained his title in the men’s 400m freestyle S8, whilst teammate Francesca Palazzo went one better than last year to win gold in the women’s equivalent. 

“This is what I wanted, it’s what I worked for,” said Amodeo.

“I was going really well during this season and this is the result. It is my personal best, it’s a bit better than what I did in Tokyo [Paralympics, silver medallist] two years ago. So this is a very good start and let’s see the other competitions in the next few days.”

Experience trumped youth in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9 final when Italy’s Stefano Raimondi won his third straight world title in the event, ahead of the two 17-year-olds Maurice Wetekam (GER) and Hector Denayer (FRA).

The blue caps turned golden in the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3, 100m breaststroke SB4 and 100m butterfly S13, thanks to Monica Boggioni, Giulia Ghiretti and Carlotta Gilli respectively.

Guo makes history

A flawless technique by Jincheng Guo in the men’s 50m freestyle S5 left the crowd stunned as he flew to a new world record not once but twice, on his way to gold.

The Chinese athlete bettered his morning world record time by a further 0.28 seconds in the final, to clock 29.78.

It was the first of three golds for China with Yang Hong finishing first in the men’s 100m backstroke S6 and Ma Jia topping the table in the women’s 50m freestyle S11.

To the delight of the home crowd, hosts Great Britain achieved four wins in the pool, getting their campaign off to a strong start. 

Suzanna Hext and Ellie Challis won the women’s 50m freestyle S5 and women’s 50m breaststroke SB2 respectively, whilst Stephen Clegg took top spot in the men’s 100m backstroke S12. 

It was a clean sweep in the women’s 200m freestyle S14, with Jessica-Jane Applegate beating teammate and reigning champion, Bethany Firth, for top spot. 

"I've had such a terrible season with back injuries. Not using any swear words but absolutely epic", commented Applegate after her win which comes ten years after she first took the title in Montreal 2013.  

"It's so good [to win together]”, said silver medallist Bethany Firth. “In the call room we're talking to each other, we're giving each other hints. We really stick together."

Canada matched Great Britain on their gold medal tally, taking wins in the women’s 100m backstroke S6 with a new championship record set by Shelby Newkirk, Nicholas Bennett in the men’s 200m freestyle S14, Tess Routliffe in the women’s 200m individual medley SM7 before Aurelie Rivard defended her title to close the night in the women’s 50m freestyle S10. 

Trusov smashes world record

Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov kept Guo company by setting a new world record in the men’s 200m individual medley SM7. 

The Ukrainian went out hard and kept his form to hold off Colombia’s Carlos Serrano to secure gold in the record breaking time of 2:28.19. 

Ukraine’s other gold of the night was by Oleksii Virchenko in the men’s 100m butterfly S13. 

There was double Dutch delight as Paralympic champion Chantalle Zijderveld and Lisa Kruger took the top two spots in the women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9, gold and silver respectively. 

Chantalle Zijderveld (Netherlands) after her win in the women’s breaststroke SB9 in a Dutch one-two finish with Lisa Kruger. Zijderveld is the Paralympic champion in the race while Kruger was the defending world champion. Manchester 2023 marks Zijderveld's return to the world stage after taking a year’s break following the Tokyo Games.
 
“I was telling the girls I’ve never been this nervous before. I’m usually very calm but after all these years, today I was very nervous so I didn’t know what to expect coming back. I didn’t care about the time I just wanted to get this gold,” said the Dutch, who returned to the pool later in the session finishing sixth in the 50m freestyle S10.

Rogier Dorsman kept his crown as he won the Netherlands’ other gold of the night in the men’s 50m freestyle. 

Australia, Brazil, Greece, Mexico and South Korea picked one gold each on day one. The Mexican triumph came with Mexico’s Paralympic champion Arnulfo Castorena who extended his domination in the men’s 50m backstroke taking his third consecutive world title and sixth overall.

“Next year I will be going to my seventh Paralympic Games, I am one of the veterans in the team but happy to still be winning. I’m proud to be here achieving good results and to be listening the Mexican national anthem again,” said Castorena, who picked his first World Championships gold at Mar del Plata 2002. 

Complete results and all medallist of the Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships can be found here.

The Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships will be streamed live on World Para Swimming website and Facebook channel with geoblocking restrictions in certain territories – you can find more information about where to watch the competition here. Pictures from day one are available for editorial use on Flickr.