The world stage in Singapore just saw a thrilling moment. Swimmer Ricardo Soares shattered a national record this Monday. He competed in the 400-meter individual medley for the S7 adapted class. His incredible effort set a new benchmark at 5:07.70 minutes. This remarkable feat happened during the ongoing World Championships.
Ricardo’s performance was a huge personal victory. He finished seventh in the final, marking his debut at a world championship. He previously held the national record with a time of 5:08.47 minutes. His latest swim shaved off an impressive 77 hundredths of a second.
Speaking to the federation’s media, Ricardo shared his joy. “I am extremely satisfied,” he said. “Not everyone can say they are the seventh best in the world.” He admitted to feeling a bit tired from the morning’s heats. Still, his happiness was clear. “It’s true I had a different time and ambition in mind,” he noted. “However, I almost achieved it, and it is still a national record. So, I am very happy.”
This athlete is not resting on his laurels. He fully believes he can lower that new mark even further. Ricardo is already looking ahead. He has his sights firmly set on the 2026 European Championships. He plans to achieve this goal there.
Other athletes also showed their spirit. Tomás Cordeiro competed in the 200-meter individual medley SM 10 final. He finished the race in eighth place. His time was 2:21.93 minutes. This was a bit slower than his national record of 2:16.83.
The action continues at the OCBC Aquatic Centre pool. On Tuesday, João Fidalgo will make his first appearance. He is set to race in the 400-meter freestyle event. Also, Ana Castro will return to the water. She will compete in the 100-meter butterfly S8.