Rio 2016 swimming Test Event to get underway

A series of big name swimmers will get the chance to compete at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro from Friday (22 April) as the pool hosts the Test Event for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Live results will be available at the Brazilian Paralympic Committee's website.

Two of Brazil’s most famous athletes, 10-time Paralympic champion Daniel Dias and seven-time gold medallist Andre Brasil, highlight the men’s field.

The recently crowned Laureas 2016 Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, Dias will compete in three events in which he will defend his Paralympic titles in September; the men’s 100m breaststroke SB4, the 50m butterfly S5 and 50m freestyle S5.

Brasil heads out in the men’s S10 in the 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle.

Stoking interest ahead of the Test Event this weekend and Rio 2016 which is less than six months away, Brasil said: “Brazil has great athletes and a big history in Paralympic sports. I am grateful to be part of it. Clodoaldo [Silva], Daniel [Dias], me and the others are just numbers. But Brazil’s growth in para-swimming is indisputable!”

In the men’s 200m freestyle S14, Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games champion Felipe Caltran will galvanise the Brazilian effort.

Underlining the development of para-sport in South America generally is the rise of Colombia’s Carlos Serrano.

The 17-year-old won his first world title in 2015 in the 100m breaststroke SB7, and will return to the pool for his first major event of the year.

Mexico’s reigning Paralympic champion Gustavo Sanchez is also the man to watch in the men’s 200m freestyle S4, as he prepares to defend his title this summer.

He will face France’s David Smetanine, the silver medallist from the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Japan’s Keiichi Kimura will be hoping to secure his first Paralympic gold in the men’s S11 in 2016. He will swim four events at the Test Event including the 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly, in which he is the current world champion.

The presence of South Africa’s Hendrik Herbst and Brazil’s Matheus Sousa, both podium finishers at the world and Paralympic level, will make for some exciting racing.

On the women’s side, Spain’s Sarai Gascon is coming off the back of winning her third world title in S9 events at the age of 23.

However a Paralympic gold is still missing from her trophy cabinet. The USA’s Michele Konkoly will challenge Gascon at the Test Event, having picked up two silver medals on her World Championships debut last year.

After winning won two golds at Toronto 2015, Konkoly’s teammate Mallory Weggemann lines up in the women’s S8.

France’s Elodie Lorandi, the women’s 400m freestyle S10 Paralympic champion, is taking every opportunity to compete ahead of the Games and will also defend her European titles from 30 April in Funchal, Portugal.

Rounding off a strong European showing is Sweden’s world and Paralympic champion Maja Reichard in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB11.

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Test Event runs until 24 April as part of the 2016 Caixa Loterias Brazilian Open Championships.

Ahead of each session, 600 tickets will be distributed at Avenida Abelardo Bueno at the main entrance of the Olympic Park. The kiosk will be open one hour before the sessions begin each day.

There will be no parking on site and no taxis or similar will be allowed to enter the Park.

Competition schedule (all times are in BRT):

22 April

Session 1 - 9:30-12:30

Session 2 - 18:30-21:30

23 April

Session 1 - 9:30-14:40

Session 2 – 19:00-21:20

24 April

Session 1 – 10:30-12:50

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Sport fans from around the world can now buy their Paralympic tickets for Rio 2016 from authorised ticket resellers (ATRs).

The IPC’s Global ATR is Jet Set Sports, and Rio 2016 tickets and packages can be purchased on the CoSport website.

Residents of Brazil can buy 2016 Paralympics tickets directly from the Rio 2016 website.