Paris 2024: Elena Krawzow defends Paralympic title with new world record

In 2021, just weeks after winning her first Paralympic gold in Tokyo, Germany’s Elena Krawzow was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. Three years later, the German was back to the Paralympic Games to defend her 100m breaststroke SB12 title at La Defense Arena.

Krawzow not only added the Paris 2024 gold to her collection, but shed did it improving her own five-year-old world record (1:12.54).

"That's just unbelievable for me. Three years ago, it was a tough time for me after the diagnosis. My biggest goal was to break my own record, my PB (personal best), and today it happened. It's just incredible. I can't say anything. I'm just happy,” she said.

"I live day per day, so I just enjoy and we will see. I mean, LA 2028, it's not far away. Who knows what will happen until then?"

Hers was one of the five world records set in the pool on Thursday at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Krawzow’s teammate Taliso Engel set a new mark for the men’s 100m breaststroke SB13 in the morning heats then returned in the evening to secure gold in the event. 

China’s Guo Jincheng left La Defense on Thursday with two gold medals and two world records. First in the men’s 50m freestyle S5 (29.33) and later as part of China’s mixed 4x50m medley relay 20 points team – alongside Lu Dong, Zhang Li and Wang Lichao (2:24.83).

And Jincheng did it swimming with no goggles and no swimming cap.

"I am not used to them. I don't like the feeling. I never swim with them," said the swimmer who led a Chinese podium sweep in the 50m freestyle S5 with Yuan Weiyi (silver) and Wang Lichao (bronze). 

Neutral Para Athlete Mariia Pavlova broke the women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 world record on her way to gold (1:26.09). 

Australia’s Timothy Hodge claimed his first individual Games title winning the men’s 200m medley SM9 with a new Paralympic record (2:13.31) in the loudest of all events at La Defense Arena on Thursday. The French crowd had a lot to celebrate with a silver-bronze one-two as Ugo Didier finished second followed by Hector Denayer.

Thursday's medallists

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB7 Final
Gold: Mariia Pavlova (NPA)
Silver: Iona Winnifrith (Great Britain)
Bronze: Tess Routliffe (Canada)

Men's 50m Freestyle - S5 Final
Gold: Jincheng Guo (China)
Silver: Weiyi Yuan (China)
Bronze: Lichao Wang (China)

Men's 100m Freestyle - S6 Final
Gold: Antonio Fantin (Italy)
Silver: Talisson Henrique Glock (Brazil)
Bronze: Laurent Chardard (France)

Women's 400m Freestyle - S10 Final
Gold: Aurelie Rivard (Canada)
Silver: Alexandra Truwit (United States)
Bronze: Bianka Pap (Hungary)

Men's 100m Breaststroke - SB11 Final
Gold: Rogier Dorsman (Netherlands)
Silver: Bozun Yang (China)
Bronze: Danylo Chufarov (Ukraine)

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB11 Final
Gold: Daria Lukianenko (NPA)
Silver: Jia Ma (China)
Bronze: Karolina Pelendritou (Cyprus)

Men's 200m Individual Medley - SM9 Final
Gold: Timothy Hodge (Australia)
Silver: Ugo Didier (France)
Bronze: Hector Denayer (France)

Women's 200m Individual Medley - SM9 Final
Gold: Zsofia Konkoly (Hungary)
Silver: Nuria Marques Soto (Spain)
Bronze: Anastasiya Dmytriv (Spain)

Men's 100m Breaststroke - SB13 Final
Gold: Taliso Engel (Germany)
Silver: Nurdaulet Zhumagali (Kazakhstan)
Bronze: Vali Israfilov (Azerbaijan)

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB12 Final
Gold: Elena Krawzow (Germany)
Silver: Maria Carolina Santiago (Brazil)
Bronze: Jietong Zheng (China)

Women's 100m Breaststroke - SB13 Final
Gold: Rebecca Redfern (Great Britain)
Silver: Olivia Chambers (United States)
Bronze: Colleen Young (United States)

Women's 50m Freestyle - S8 Final
Gold: Alice Tai (Great Britain)
Silver: Cecilia Kethlen Jeronimo de Araujo (Brazil)
Bronze: Viktoriia Ishchiulova (NPA)

Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay - 20 Points Final
Gold: China
Silver: USA
Bronze: Ukraine

Here you can find where to watch Friday's Para swimming action at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.