Paralympics, Swimming: First Day Features 13 World Records Out of 16 Golds

BEIJING, China, September 7. THE swimming portion of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics got off to a splendid start with swimmers lighting a torch to the record book. In sum, 13 world records were set on the first day out of 16 events that featured gold medals being awarded in the Water Cube.

Quite possibly the most famous Paralympian in Beijing this week, Natalie du Toit of South Africa won the women's 100 fly – S9 event with a world record time of 1:06.74. du Toit demonstrated her amazing abilities in the water when she competed in the open water event at the 2008 Beijing Games less than a month ago.

In other action, Dmitry Kokarev of Russia set a world record in the men's 200 free – S2 with a time of 4:45.43, while Great Britain's Jim Anderson (5:00.03) and Greece's Georgios Kapellakis (5:05.91) rounded out the podium.

In the men's 100 fly – S13, Belarus' Dmitiry Salei wound up with the world record in 58.89, beating Russia's Andrey Strokin's preliminary standard of 1:00.60. Salei took gold, while Greece's Charalampos Taiganidis (59.24) earned silver ahead of Strokin's 1:00.83.

Reigning Swimming World Magazine Disabled Female Swimmer of the Year Valerie Grand Maison of Canada won the women's 100 fly – S13 in 1:06.49, while Du Jianping of China broke the men's 100 free – S3 world record with a 1:35.21.

France's David Smetanine grabbed the men's 100 free – S4 gold in 1:24.67, while Spain's Richard Oribe (1:26.62) and Czech Republic's Jan Povysil (1:26.75) took second and third.

Mexico's Nely Miranda followed with a women's 100 free – S4 triumph in 1:44.11. Cheryl Angelelli of the U.S. earned silver in 1:50.24, while teammate Aimee Bruder pocketed bronze in 1:55.33.

In the men's 100 free – S5, Brazil's Daniel Dias set a world record with a time of 1:11.05, while Spain's Maria Teresa Perales also set a world record with a 1:16.65 in the women's 100 free S5.

Great Britain's Sascha Kindred crushed the men's 200 IM – SM6 global standard with a gold-winning 2:42.19, while Miranda Uhl of the U.S. topped the women's 200 IM – SM6 with a world record of her own in 3:13.05. Maria Goetze of Germany took silver in 3:14.59, while Great Britain's Natalie Jones earned bronze in 3:15.20.

The U.S. won again, this time when Rudy Garcia Tolson broke his world record with a 2:35.92 in the men's 200 IM – SM7, while teammate Erin Popovich eclipsed her world record in the women's 200 IM – SM7 with a time of 2:54.61.

Australia's Peter Leek broke the global standard in the men's 100 fly – S8 with a time of 1:00.95, while Sullivan Award winner Jessica Long won the women's 100 fly – S8 in 1:11.96. Teammate Amanda Everlove grabbed silver in 1:12.16 after setting the world record in prelims with a 1:11.64. Jin Xiaoqin of China wrapped up bronze in 1:15.32.

Additionally, Hungary's Tamas Sors set a world record in the men's 100 fly – S9 with a time of 59.34.

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