Due to the variety of events and classes, Brazil is used to winning many medals in the Paralympic Swimming World Cup. But what is “much”? In 2019, this represented a collection of 17 medals. In the competition that ended today (18) in Madeira Island, Portugal, the level was different, more than triple the last edition. In total, there were 53 podiums.
The numbers were inflated by the absence of China, which did not send representatives to the World Cup, and Russia, which is suspended. But that doesn’t take away from Brazil’s campaign, which went to the podium with 30 different athletes in individual competitions.
This Saturday, the record that needed to be dropped was dropped: gold medals. There were 19 in total, which made the campaign in the medal table, which privileges titles, better than that of 2017. Five years ago Brazil won 18 gold, nine silver and nine bronze. Now there were 19 gold, 10 silver and 24 bronze.
In the overall picture, Brazil was only behind Italy (27 gold and 64 in total) and the United States (24 gold and 40 in total). In Tokyo, when it had the best Paralympic campaign in its history in terms of total medals, Brazil won 23, eight of which were gold.
Individually, the country had some of the highlights of the competition, such as Carol Santiago, who dominated the S12 class events, for the visually impaired, and closed the Worlds with six gold medals and seven medals in total. Rookie Samuel Oliveira (S5), 16, and already Paralympic stars Gabriel Bandeira (S14) and Gabriel Araújo (S2) each won three gold medals. Samuca also won two silvers and Bandeira, one silver and two bronze.
Mariana Ribeiro (S9), with two gold and one bronze, and Cecília Jerônimo de Araújo (S8), with one gold and one bronze, were also world champions in individual events in Madeira.
