The world's fastest male and female para-swimmers were in action on Wednesday at the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) European Swimming Championships, and both did not disappoint, storming to gold in their respective 50m Freestyle races.
The fastest female para-swimmer on the planet, Russia's 20 year old Paralympic champion Oxana Savchenko (27.12), put clear water between herself and teammate Darya Stukalova (27.53) to claim her second gold. Surprisingly bronze went to Poland's Joanna Mendak (28.30) who qualified for the final seventh fastest.
There were 21 medals up for grabs on Wednesday evening, a session that two world and one European record broken. In total 14 world and 12 European records have been broken in the four days of competition.
The Women's 200m Individual Medley SM7 was a close race and was won by the 22 year old Russian Oxana Guseva (3:14.85). She just edged out Ukraine's Ani Palian (3:15.11), who has already won one gold and bronze at this event. Hungary's Dorottya Baka (3:40.81) took bronze.
The Netherlands won their second successive gold when Marlou van der Kulk (1:09.96) picked up her second gold of the week in the Women's 100m Backstroke S14. Britain's Natalie Massey (1:11.49) fought a hard race for second place but lost out to Ireland's Bethany Firth (1:11.43). The 15 year old put in a brilliant performance to secure silver in her first major Championships.
European Record holder Sarai Gascon (29.28), secured her third and Spain's 12th gold medal of the week with a win in the Women's 50m Freestyle S9. Great Britain's Louise Watkin (29.87) claimed her fifth medal of the Championships with silver. Bronze went to Ukraine's Irina Grazhdanova (29.94).
A second gold followed very quickly for Ukraine as Iryna Balashova (28.43) beat off stiff competition from Great Britain's Rhiannon Henry (28.57) to win the Women's 50m Freestyle S13. Third was Spain's Begona Curero (30.15).
Maksym Veraksa made it thee gold medals in a row for Ukrainian with victory in the Men's 50m Freestyle S12.
Sarah Louise Rung (3:16.00) picked up her and Norway's second gold of the week in the Women's 200m Individual Medley SM5. Ukraine's Natalia Prologaieva (3:19.07), who has scooped three golds this week, took silver while Spain's Teresa Perales (3:44.59) was third.
It took 12 races of the fourth day for Great Britain to win their first gold medal. Two-time Paralympic champion Eleanor Simmonds not only picked up her second gold of the Championships but also smashed her second world record recording 3:08.94 in the Women's 200m Individual Medley SM6. Silver went to her teammate Natalie Jones (3:11.44) while Mirjam de Koning Peper (3:17.80) of the Netherlands took bronze.
France's Elodie Lorandi (4:40.78) boasts an impressive record so far in these Championships. After three finals she now has three gold medals after she romped to victory in the Women's 400m Freestyle S10. Paralympic champion and world record holder Katarzyna Pawlik (4:49.95) of Poland took silver with Sweden's Oliwia Jablonska (4:43.24) the bronze.
There was a world record broken in the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB11 thanks to Sweden's Maja Reichard (1:28.90). Silver and bronze went to Ukraine's Yana Berezhna (1:33.90) and France's Stephanie Douard (1:36.49) respectively.
The final race of the day, the Women's 100m Breaststroke SB8 was an absolute cracker. On the day the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games were awarded to Pyeongchang, Korea, Russia's Sochi 2014 Ambassador Olesya Vladykina (1:19.37) took gold ahead of Great Britain's Claire Cashmore (1:20.37). Bronze went to Poland's Paulina Wozniak (1:19.37).
Ukraine now stand clear at the top of the medals table with 62 medals, including 25 golds.
