Russia dominate heats at Glasgow 2015

Russia’s Valeriia Shabalina lit up the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain, on Wednesday (15 July), setting a new world record in the women’s 200m freestyle S14 heats.

Shabalina (2:05.99) took down her own mark from the 2014 Euros to finish ahead of British world and Paralympic champion Jessica-Jane Applegate (2:07.10). Australia’s Corry Taylor (2:14.24) was third quickest.

SM3 Ukrainian swimmer Olga Sviderska (3:12.72) also set a new world record in the women’s 150m individual medley SM4, a mixed class event.

Her teammate Mariia Lafina (3:06.72) leads out Italy’s Arjola Trimi (3:07.08) with Sviderska third fastest. Mexico’s Nely Miranda Herrera (3:14.12) continues her excellent form with a new SM4 Americas record.

Russia continued their great morning in the pool, winning gold in a race re-run and qualifying fastest in a series of events.

Russia’s Eskender Mustafaev (38.17) won the title in the men’s 50m freestyle S4. South Korea’s Giseong Jo (38.42) came second whilst France’s David Smetanine (39.60) took bronze.

Viacheslav Emeliantsev (1:56.27) was quickest in the men’s 200m freestyle S14 with a new world record, leading Australian world champion Daniel Fox (1:58.89) and Great Britain’s Tom Hamer (1:59.24) into the final.

World and Paralympic title holder Aleksandr Nevolin-Svetov (1:02.18) set himself up for a great race with US 2013 Worlds silver medallist Tucker Dupree (1:02.24) in the men’s 100m backstroke S12. Ukrainian Sergei Klippert (1:02.45) was also in the mix.

Andrei Gladkov (5:02.88) went quickest in the men’s 400m freestyle S7, followed by Norwegian Andreas Bjornstadt (5:04.60).

Roman Zhdanov (2:28.91) went faster than New Zealand’s world and Paralympic title holder Cameron Leslie (2:29.57) in the men’s 150m individual medley SM4.

Darya Stukalova (1:08.75) out-qualified British world champion Hannah Russell (1:10.80) in the women’s 100m backstroke S12.

World champion Anna Krivshina (1:07.53) heads into the 100m backstroke S13 as the fastest woman to round-off a fantastic session for Russia. Ukrainian Anna Stetsenko (1:08.78) will chase Krivshina to the wall.

World and Paralympic champion Ollie Hynd (2:24.50) is on course to win Great Britain’s first gold medal of Glasgow 2015 in the men’s 200m individual medley SM8. His closest competitor, the USA’s Robert Griswold (2:27.53), brought down the Americas record for a centre lane in the final. Australian Jessie Aungles (2:28.74) was third quickest.

South African world champion Kevin Paul (1:05.42) is in a strong position to retain his world title, having set a new Championships record in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB9.

A tense race is expected in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB9, with 14-year-old Dutch European champion Chantalle Zijderveld (1:19.10) just out-qualifying New Zealand’s world champion Sophie Pascoe (1:19.53). The Netherlands have another medal hope in the form of Lisa Kruger (1:20.99) who qualified third fastest.

Brazil’s most successful Paralympian Daniel Dias (2:36.38) has won one individual gold already this week and qualified fastest in the men’s 200m freestyle S5. Whilst the longer distance freestyle is not Great Britain’s Andrew Mullen’s (2:44.55) strongest event, he could be on for another podium having qualified second.

The USA’s serial medallist Jessica Long (2:42.20) looked to be heading for her third world title in as many days in the women’s 200m individual medley SM8.

Norway’s Sarah-Louise Rung (2:55.96) was on form in the women’s 200m freestyle S5. Israel’s Inbal Pezaro (3:02.65) will attempt to unseat the world and Paralympic champion in the final. Italy’s Arjola Trimi (3:15.30) also set a new S4 Championships record in the race.

New Zealand’s world champion Mary Fisher (1:20.84) did enough to qualify quickest in the women’s 100m backstroke S11, ahead of Germany’s Daniela Schulte (1:21.95). The pair are on one gold each heading into this evening’s finals.

Ukraine’s Viktor Smyrnov (1:12.96) qualified ahead of world and Paralympic champion teammate Dmytro Zalevskyy (1:12.98) in the men’s 100m backstroke S11. South African Hendri Herbst was third fastest with a new African record of 1:14.81.

Ukraine’s world and Paralympic gold medallist Oksana Khrul (38.13) leads Australian Tiffany Kane (39.06) into the women’s 50m butterfly S6 final, with Kane setting a new Oceania record. China’s Dong Lu (39.96) was third.

China’s world champion Tao Zheng (31.71) was quickest in the men’s 50m butterfly S6, with a new Americas record for Colombia’s Nelson Crispin (32.09). Great Britain’s swimming legend Sascha Kindred (32.97) qualified third fastest in his attempt to win his 17th World Championships medal.

Race footage is available directly from IPC Swimming, as well as daily newsfeeds x 2 (following News Access Rules) for non-rights holders. For more information contact jose.dominguez@paralympic.org.

Pictures are available at the IPC's Flickr account. High resolution versions are available on request from eva.werthmann@paralympic.org.

The 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships, which run until 19 July, will feature around 580 athletes from nearly 70 countries and will be one of the biggest qualification opportunities for Rio 2016.

Tickets are still available and all seven days of action will be shown live at Glasgow2015.com alongside live results between 13-19 July.

Fans can also follow @IPCSwimming on Twitter and Facebook and Paralympics Instagram for behind-the-scenes updates and pictures.