Almost 600 swimmers are ready for the first day of competition at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, which get underway on Thursday (8 September).
Here are just a selection of events to look out for on the opening day of what is expected to be the best ever Paralympics in terms of athletic performances.
Men’s 200m freestyle S5
Brazilian superstar Daniel Dias will take to the pool for the first time in an event in which he is the world record holder and two-time defending Paralympic champion. Having won seven world titles in 2015, Dias is aiming for nine titles at Rio 2016 and to become the most decorated male Paralympian of all time.
Men’s 100m freestyle S4
South Korea’s world champion Giseong Jo will face a tough race in his Paralympic debut. Mexico’s Gustavo Sanchez is the defending Paralympic champion.
Men’s 100m butterfly S13
Belarusian Ihar Boki is another swimmer looking to win gold across all six of his events. He gets his campaign underway as the Paralympic, world and European champion. He set a new world record in this event at the 2015 World Championships and will aim to go even faster in Rio.
Men’s 100m breaststroke SB9
South Africa’s Kevin Paul heads out in his favourite event as the London 2012 silver medallist. Since then, he has claimed two world titles and came within a few tenths of breaking the world record in 2015.
Men’s 100m backstroke S14
Flying Dutchman Marc Evers is the Paralympic champion from London 2012 and won the world title a year later. But in 2015 he lost out on gold, even finishing third behind South Korea’s In Kook Lee.
Men’s 400m freestyle S8
Great Britain’s Ollie Hynd is the world record holder in this event, having broken his older brother Sam’s time in 2015. Despite winning two world and one European title in the past four years, Hynd is yet to win Paralympic gold in this event.
Men’s 100m backstroke S6
Fans will remember Chinese ‘armless swimmer’ Tao Zheng’s iconic performance in this event from London 2012. Zheng broke the world record on his way to gold and his performance and celebrations captured the world’s imagination. He is the double world champion who broke his world record again in 2015.
Women’s 100m backstroke S14
Great Britain’s Paralympic champion Bethany Firth will defend her title, having missed the World Championships due to injury. She will race against world champion teammate Jessica-Jane Applegate.
Women’s 400m freestyle S8
The USA’s 12-time Paralympic champion Jessica Long is celebrating more than a decade since she won her first Paralympic titles at Athens 2004. The 400m freestyle was one of them and the 24-year-old has also won world titles in this event at every edition since 2006.
Women’s 200m freestyle S5
Norway’s Sarah Louise Rung is hoping to retain her two golds from London 2012 and will begin with the 200m freestyle. Rung is the double world and European champion.
Live coverage and results of swimming is available at Paralympic.org. Live updates will also be posted to IPC Swimming’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games were held from 7-18 September 2016. Athletes from more than 160 countries competed in 528 medal events in 22 different sports.
