Record Holders Set for IPC Swimming World Championships

Many athletes who hold World records are preparing themselves for another high-energy competition at the upcoming 2010 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

Taking place from 15-21 August, many of the athletes set their records at previous competitions like the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, 2009 IPC Swimming European Championships in Iceland, 2009 IPC Swimming World Championships Short Course in Brazil, and the 2010 BT Paralympic World Cup in Great Britain.

Mirjam de Koning-Peper from the Netherlands for example has the World record in the Women’s 50m Freestyle (S6) and the Paralympic record in the Women’s 800m Freestyle. The athlete has multiple medals to her name, including two gold and two silver from the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the Women’s 100m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle and the 400m Freestyle respectively.

A name that is very familiar in Paralympic Sport is South Africa’s Natalie du Toit, who broke more than a handful of records this year, including in the Women’s 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m and Freestyle (S9), and in the 50m, 100m and 200m Butterfly. Her string of records and medals will be tested once again in Eindhoven among many other elite athletes.

Other athletes like USA’s Mallory Weggemann (S7) and Singapore’s Pin Xiu Yip (S3) hold multiple records in the Freestyle and Backstroke events respectively and will also be at the World Championships.

On the men’s side, Brazil’s Andre Brasil holds the World record in the Men’s 50m, 100m, 200m and 800m Freestyle (S10), the 50m Backstroke and 100m Butterfly. Brasil’s strong performance drove him to take four gold medals and one silver at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

Great Britain’s Sascha Kindred brings his Swimming talent to the pool, as well as several World records around his neck including in the Men’s 100m Butterfly (S6) and Paralympic record in the 200m Individual Medley (SM6). Kindred first competed at the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games, where he took the silver medal in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke (SB7).

Other competing athletes with records include South Africa’s Kevin Paul and Australia’s Peter Leek. Paul holds World records in the Men’s 200m Breaststroke (SB9) and the 400m Individual Medley (SM10), while Leek holds World records in the Men’s 100m and 200m Butterfly (S8), and the 200m and 400m Individual Medley (SM8).