World Series 2023: Colombia and Mexico lead the way in Guadalajara

Four nations had their national anthems played at the Centro Acuatico Metropolitano in Guadalajara during the penultimate leg of the Citi Para Swimming World Series 2023 that concluded on Sunday (8 October) in Mexico. 

Colombia and the hosts were the most frequent visitors to the top of the podium with 11 gold medals each, followed by Brazil and Spain. 

Mexico’s Citli Rojas and Colombia’s Maria Paula Zapata both won three races each finishing as the most successful female swimmers at the 2023 Mexico World Series. Colombia’s two-time Paralympic champion Carlos Serrano grabbed the largest amount of gold medals among the male athletes, with four.

S14-swimmer Rojas triumphed in the women’s 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, and 100m breaststroke and finished second in the 200m medley and 100m butterfly.

“I can say I expected it, because I've been training for a long time to get these medals. I dedicate these medals to my family and my coach for their support in my career. I'm very happy”, said the 19-year-old.

She also watched her experienced teammates pick more victories for Mexico, such as Arnulfo Castorena (S2) in the men’s 50m breaststroke and 150m medley and Nely Herrera (S4) in the women’s 50m breaststroke – in addition to a bronze medal in the women’s 50m backstroke.
Colombia’s party

Colombian swimmers felt like they were at home at the Centro Acuatico Metropolitano finishing the Mexico 2023 World Series with 11 golds, 10 silvers, and 5 bronzes.

Maria Paula Zapata (S10) won the women’s 50m, 100m, and 400m freestyle while Sara Vargas (S7) finished first in the women’s 50m butterfly and 200m medley. Vargas also grabbed two silver medals, in the 100m freestyle and backstroke, and a bronze in the 50m freestyle.

Among the men, Carlos Serrano (S7) and Nelson Crispin (S6) shared the podium in four events (50m and 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly, and 100m breaststroke). All of them finished with Serrano first and Crispin second. But Crispin also returned home with a gold medal from the 200m medley. 

Both Serrano and Crispin saw Mexico 2023 as an important test for the Parapan American Games that will take place in Santiago, Chile from 17 to 26 November.

“I am very happy to have competed in four events and won four golds. An excellent World Series, I thank God for my times, for the medals and for all the work done. We are working hard to defend our title as Parapan American champions”, Serrano said.

“It was a great event, I’m very grateful to Guadalajara for welcoming us. An excellent pool, I had already had the opportunity to be here at the Parapan American Games (in 2011). I am very happy to be back and leave with five medals, one gold and four silver. It was a great test for Parapan American in Chile. We are very excited, grateful to everyone who is supporting us”, Crispin added.

Jacobo Brun and Jose Mari Alcaraz were responsible for the Spanish national anthem being played in Guadalajara. Brun (S9) was the winner in the men’s 400m freestyle (and also took a silver in the men’s 100m butterfly) while Alcaraz (S9) won the men’s 100m butterfly and grabbed two bronze medals, in the 100m and 400m freestyle.

Brazil’s 15-year-old Victor Almeida grabbed his first international medals in an unforgettable debut. The S9-swimmer got a gold in the men’s 100m backstroke and a bronze medal in the 100m butterfly. His teammate Mayara Petzold (S6) bagged two bronzes, in the women’s 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

Complete results of the Citi Para Swimming World Series Mexico 2023 can be found here.

World Series closure

The 2023 season of the Citi Para Swimming World Series is getting closer to the end. Next month, the competition lands in Africa for the first time this year as Cairo, Egypt will welcome the final leg of the World Series from 10 to 12 November.

This year’s World Series kicked off in Melbourne, Australia in February. Mexico was the second stop in the Americas this year following Minneapolis, USA that hosted the meet in April. In the same month, the World Series travelled to Asia with a stop in Singapore.

In Europe the World Series took place in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy and Sheffield, Great Britain in March; followed by Berlin, Germany and Limoges, France in May.

More information about the 2023 Citi Para Swimming World Series is available here.