Day 1 highlights | Mexico City 2017 World Para Swimming Championships

Daniel Dias claimed a glittering 25th World title on the first day (2 December) of competition at the World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City, as Brazil enjoyed success in the pool by claiming four golds to top the early medals table.

Multiple Paralympic champion Dias won the men’s 100m freestyle S1-5 with a time of 1:10.58, ahead of France's 17-year-old Theo Curin (1:18.28) and Vietnam's five-time Asian champion Thanh Tung Vo (1:19.56).

Seven-time Paralympic champion Andre Brasil delivered another stand out performance on Saturday as he claimed his 16th World title. The 33-year-old was the fastest in the men's 100m backstroke S10 with a time of 1:01.57. He was followed by Estonia's Kardo Ploomipuu (1:03.55) and USA's Tye Dutcher (1:03.81).

But Brasil (24.14) missed the chance to win his second individual gold on the first day as he lost to compatriot Phelipe Rodrigues (23.96) in the men's 50m freestyle S10. It was Rodrigues' first World title after winning five silvers and three bronzes. Spaniard David Levecq (25.65) ended third.

The fourth and last gold medal for Brazil (4:10.30) came in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay 34pts. Italy (4:15.27) and Argentina (4:19.46) finished second and third, respectively.

US swimmers also gave their fans multiple reasons to celebrate. Robert Griswold (1:04.17) won the World Championships' first gold medal in the men's 100m backstroke S8. Argentina's Pipo Carlomagno (1:08.67) came in second and Israel's Mark Malyar (1:13.76) touched in third.

Three-time Rio 2016 gold medallist McKenzie Coan (1:10.82) won the women's 100m freestyle S7 ahead of Germany´s Denise Grahl (1:14.47) and China's Liting Ke (1:17.72). Teenage rising star Aspen Shelton (1:10.12) took gold in the women's 100m backstroke S12 at her first major international competition, giving the USA the third gold of the day.

Home fans had a reason to celebrate as Mexico’s Matilde Alcazar Figueroa (1:17.52) touched in first in the women's 100m freestyle S11, followed by USA´s McClain Hermes (1:19.67) and Slovakia's Tatiana Blattnerova (1:20.10).

European strength

Ihar Boki led the European charge on day one, and he was another who did not disappoint. The Belarussian won his 16th World title in the men's 100m backstroke S13 with a time of 57.45. Finland's Antti Antero Latikka (1:04.51) and Greece's Gerasimos Lignos (1:09.57) took silver and bronze, respectively.

Boki's compatriot Hryhory Zudzilau (1:01.27) was the fastest in the men's 100m freestyle S11, ahead of Poland's Wojciech Makowski (1:02.79) and Lithuania's Edgaras Matakas (1:03.32)

Norwegian swimmers also shone as Adam Wenham (1:13:65) and Sarah Louise Rung topped the podium in men’s 100m breakstroke SB14 and women’s 100m freestyle S5 – Rung (1:22:65) beating Spanish legend Teresa Perales (1:23:29) in one of the most highly anticipated clashes.

Italy enjoyed triple gold success on the pool. There was an Italian 1-2 in the men's 400m freestyle S6 thanks to Antonio Fantin (5:09.59) and Francesco Bocciardo (5:12.54).

Giulia Ghiretti (1:54.65) was the overwhelming victor in the women's 100m breaststroke SB4, while the third winner of the day was Carlotta Gilli (1:08.32) in the women's 100m backstroke S13.

Triple triumph for China

China joined Italy in picking up three golds on day one. In the women's 50m freestyle S10, Chinese swimmer Yi Chen (28.43) finish top of the podium. Alessia Scortechini (28.57) and Estonia's Susannah Kaul (29.25) followed.

Chen's teammate Junsheng Li set a new Championships record of 1:32.36 in the men's 100m breaststroke SB4. Colombia's Moises Fuentes (1:39.59) and Greece´s Antonios Tsapatakis (1:45.12) finished second and third, respectively.

China´s third gold of the day was courtesy of Lingling Song (5:33.64) in the women's 400m freestyle S6 ahead of Mexico´s Vianney Trejo Delgadillo (5:42.20).

More information on the World Para Swimming Championships, including live coverage, comprehensive results and athlete profiles can be found on the Mexico City 2017’s website.