World Series 2025: Lima makes historic debut as season closes in Grand Finale

The Para Swimming World Series 2025 is heading into its final stop of the year — and for the first time in history, it will make its debut in South America.

Lima, the vibrant capital of Peru, is set to host the season’s closing event from 23 to 25 October at the Centro Acuatico Videna, marking a milestone both for the sport and the region.

This edition follows the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships – Singapore 2025, held from 21 to 27 September, which gathered the world’s top Para swimmers for a week of record-breaking performances and emotional moments in Asia. 

Now, barely a month later, attention turns to Lima, where athletes from 16 nations will compete for medals and valuable ranking points in the final competition of the World Series calendar.

A historic first for Peru

The Lima 2025 stage marks a turning point in the Para Swimming World Series’ history — the first-ever event in Peru and the first-ever in South America. The choice of Lima underscores the growing global reach of Para swimming and the region’s commitment to accessibility and elite sports development.

The Centro Acuatico Videna, located within the National Sports Village complex, offers world-class infrastructure that has previously hosted major events such as the Pan American and Parapan American Games in 2019. 

The venue boasts of three high-performance pools — a warm-up pool, a competition pool, and a diving pool — all equipped with cutting-edge Myrtha Pools technology, ensuring top conditions for athletes and officials alike.

Videna has established itself as one of the leading aquatic facilities in Latin America, regularly hosting international competitions in swimming, diving, and artistic swimming. Its accessibility features and technical standards make it a fitting stage for the world’s best swimmers to conclude their 2025 journey.

Ready for the last World Series meet of 2025? 🤩

✈️🇵🇪 After the incredible #Singapore2025, the Para Swimming World Series 2025 resumes as Peruvian capital Lima hosts the event for the first time ever.#ParaSwimming #WorldSeries2025 #Lima2025 pic.twitter.com/7eRmHnoLbV

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) October 16, 2025

Stars to watch in Lima

Among the 16 participating nations, the host nation will count on one of its most recognizable athletes: 35-year-old Paralympian Dunia Felices (SB4/S5/SM5), 35, will compete in three events — the women’s 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, and 200m medley. 

Felices has been a symbol of resilience and representation for Peruvian Para sport, and her participation in the home event will bring a special emotional significance to the competition.

Another big name confirmed for the event is Lawrence Sapp from the United States, world champion in the men’s 100m backstroke S14 and a two-time Paralympian (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024). Sapp will dive into the pool of the Centro Acuatico Videna for three events – the men’s 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly, and 200m freestyle.
    
The diversity of countries and classifications represented at the event promises three days of intense and inspiring races, with seasoned champions and young athletes alike competing for podium spots in one of the most modern pools in the Americas.

Fans around the world will be able to follow the Para Swimming World Series Lima 2025 live through the official YouTube channel and Facebook page of the Peruvian National Paralympic Association (ANPP). 

🇵🇪 Paraympian Dunia Felices will be in action to lead the home nation in the first-time ever that Peru hosts the Para Swimming World Series.

📲 Stay tuned!#ParaSwimming #WorldSeries2025 #Lima2025 pic.twitter.com/3wOOeGUD6G

— Para Swimming (@Para_swimming) October 21, 2025

The Final chapter

The Para Swimming World Series 2025 has taken athletes on a global tour, offering stages across four continents and showcasing the diversity and competitiveness of the sport.

The season began in February in Melbourne, Australia, where several world champions opened their campaigns with strong performances in the Southern Hemisphere. 

From there, the circuit moved to Europe, where Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy and Barcelona, Spain welcomed large international contingents in March, setting the tone for the rest of the year with exciting races and new personal bests.

In April, the action shifted to Asia and North America, with back-to-back events in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan and Indianapolis, USA. Both stages highlighted the global growth of Para swimming, with emerging talents sharing the spotlight with established names.

The French leg in May was particularly symbolic as the world’s best returned to Paris after the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, serving as a bridge between the Paralympic cycle and the new chapter of the sport’s evolution.

In June, Guadalajara (Mexico) continued the momentum, bringing together athletes from across the Americas and marking the final stop before the World Championships in Singapore. 

After a brief pause following the global event, the Series now reaches its conclusion in Lima, a fitting finale in a new and enthusiastic host country.