Portugal’s top swimming talents, including two-time world champion Diogo Ribeiro and defending medalist Francisca Martins, have voiced high aspirations for the upcoming European Short Course Championships in Poland.
Diogo Ribeiro, 21, a two-time world champion in 2024, is considered one of Portugal’s most prominent athletes. He aims to “show interesting times and compete with the best” at the “high-level” event.
Ribeiro expressed his goal to the Portuguese Swimming Federation. He stated, “I have the ambition and the goal to swim to improve my times, as I do in all periods of form.”
The swimmer from Coimbra will compete in the 50-meter and 100-meter butterfly and freestyle events. He seeks his first short course European medal, having previously won bronze in long course in Rome in 2022.
Francisca Martins, who won a bronze medal at the last edition of the championships, will swim the 200-meter, 400-meter, and 800-meter freestyle races. She holds national short course records in the 200m and 400m freestyle.
Martins had a breakout year in 2024, securing a silver medal at the U23 European Championships and a university world title. For the upcoming competition, she hopes to “reach the finals” and surpass her personal bests.
She also emphasized the importance of team spirit. “I also hope that the team environment is focused on the competition and on elevating collective results,” Martins explained.
The European Short Course Championships will take place in Lublin, Poland, from December 2 to December 7. The complete roster for the Portuguese team has not yet been announced.