SWIMMING

Swimming is a traditional discipline which, together with athletics, belongs to the first sports that have been taken up professionally by the athletes with intellectual disability. Swimming was included in the Paralympic Games programme in Atlanta as early as in 1996. The swimming Global Games competition will take place in the municipal swimming pool of Liberec, which has already hosted both the European, as well as the World Championship of the International Sports Federation for People with an Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID).

There will be the total of 42 disciplines and  about 150 swimmers will take part in the swimming competitions. One of the great male favourites is Craig Groenewald from the South African Republic. This thirty-year old swimmer has plenty of experience from previous racing and holds several world records. He specializes in freestyle short and long course. The British team will have a strong selection of swimmers in Liberec, and thanks to their well-balanced performance, Great Britain will have a chance to fight for gold in relay. The British are great favourites also in individual races. However, since the results of the top world swimmers are tight, the crucial role will play the actual readiness of racers.

Also the female part of the swimming competition promises dramatic races and top performance. A wide range of female swimmers may participate in the fight for medals. The butterfly disciplines are the only exception. The world ranking of this discipline is overwhelmingly dominated by an eighteen-year old Jo-Lin Tu from Taiwan, the only athlete representing this country at the Global Games.

The Czech representation puts their hope for medal in Adéla Míková which has been able to gain precious medals in great competitions. Last year’s championship in Poland where she ranked second in the 200-meter breaststroke has been her most significant success so far. However, in April she had to undergo an appendix surgery and was forced to discontinue her preparations for several weeks.
Swimming schedule