Paris 2024: Many nations vying for podium spots in Para swimming

Para swimming has been a stalwart of the Paralympic Games since its inception, growing from 62 events to an extraordinary 141 for Paris 2024.

The atmosphere of the pool has always generated huge excitement, with athletes tackling spanning distances from 50m to 400m across a range of classifications, with relays and medleys, too. It is the Games’ second largest sport in terms of events, just behind athletics, and also one of its biggest in in terms of participants and spectators.  

As with athletics, Para swimming allows a huge range of countries to get on the podium – 75 different flags have been flown over the years.  

The pool has been historically dominated by the USA, who have 722 medals, 284 of them gold, and Great Britain, who have 725 overall and 230 gold. Both nations remain powerhouses, but in more recent years, the Republic of China have become the predominant country.  

They led the medal table at the London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games – and will be favourites to scoop many more podium places this time around, too. At the last Paralympics, China got 56 medals, including 19 golds, with the likes of Lu Dong and Zheng Tao leading the way – both swimmers grabbed four golds apiece.  

The swimming at Paris 2024 will take place between 29 August and 7 September at La Defense Arena, which is also being used for the Olympic Games. There will be 71 male races, 64 female, and six mixed events (six fewer overall than at Tokyo 2020).  

Five stories to follow… 

Colombia’s trailblazer wants to add to legacy  

Carlos Daniel Serrano Zarate only learned to swim when he was 14: two years later he was winning three Paralympic medals at Rio 2016. He grabbed Colombia's first gold for 36 years, winning the men’s 100m breaststroke SB7 with a new world record, and eight years on, he now boasts seven Paralympic medals.

Driven on by fatherhood, he is hungrier than ever to add to this at Paris 2024. “Today I am training with much more competitive experience, with much more dedication, passion, with a lot of desire to make history with my third Paralympic gold medal,” he said. “It's the dream, the goal, the purpose.” 

New relaxed Barlaam is trusting the process 

Simone Barlaam is an Italian Para swimming sensation. He’s got 18 World Championship golds in his collection, and added four Paralympic medals, including a gold, at Tokyo 2020. He missed out on a number of other chances to take the top step of the podium in Japan, however – and now thinks he has discovered the way to do even better at Paris 2024.

“I think about the Simone that could have enjoyed the experience more. Even in a few warm-ups I was almost sick of entering the pool, like I was about to quit,” he said.

“I was thinking more about the results than the process – and as a consequence I didn’t do as well as I expected or hoped. [Now] I take myself less seriously. I don’t go crazy if training or a race doesn’t go well. That new mindset is helping me.”  

Can Long extend her amazing winning streak?  

Jessica Long is a Para swimming great: a 33-time world and 16-time Paralympic champion, who will compete in her sixth Games at Paris 2024. She gained six medals at Tokyo 2020, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Her fame and reputation is well deserved: she counts one of the Olympics’ greatest legends as a fan.

“When I had the opportunity to train with Michael Phelps and (his coach) Bob Bowman, that’s when I realised that I am just as good as the Olympic athletes and I don't ever have to question it,” she said.

“That was a really big moment, just to have the respect of the greatest Olympian." 

Brazil to spearhead new challenge  

At the Citi Para Swimming World Series France 2024 back in June, Brazil topped the medal table, winning nine out of 24 events. Two-time Paralympic champion Gabriel Araujo won two golds and two silvers, Paralympic champion Gabriel Bandeira, grabbed two golds and a silver, World champion Samuel de Oliveira, took two golds, as did Cecilia Araujo.

They beat Paris 2024 hosts France into second place. The likes of Araujo, inspired by iconic compatriot Daniel Dias, had a brilliant Tokyo 2020.

“Everything is just going well because of the great support at work that I got at home,” he said. “Awesome family, always looking after me. Great coach, back at the home club he’s phenomenal.” Expect another strong showing this time around.  

Didier and Pauli lead home charge 

The La Defense pool should be a happy hunting ground for the host nation. At the Citi Para Swimming World Series France 2024 they thrived, with Ugo Didier and Agathe Pauli the standout athletes, both winning gold medals. Didier, is already a Paralympic medallist, and won the men's 100m backstroke; Pauli took the first place in the women’s 400m freestyle.

Didier started Para swimming “late, which is a bit crazy,” he said. “I’ve been world champion, European champion, got a European record. It’s a Games at home so it will be an incredible experience.”