FANTASTIC MASSIVE ATTENDANCE OF SPECTATORS

The high level of participation in swimming produced the following figures: 35 countries, 76 male and 41 female swimmers, with 21 nations winning some medal(s). Once again, Spain, together with Canada, Great Britain, United States and Australia, took the most prizes. Worthy of note were the strong participation of the Latin American countries and the performance of the delegation from Thailand, who won two silver medals.

The pool at the M-86 Swimming Centre was packed with a public eager to see the top swimmers in action, particularly the Canadian Walter Wu. With his six gold medals, he was truly the "king of the pool". He participated in 7 events in the B3 category and set a new world record in 200m freestyle. He only failed to win in 50m freestyle, where he had to concede victory to the Russian Strokine, who beat the world record with a time of 25.71 seconds.

The Spanish swimmer Francisco Segarra (B2) ­ standard-bearer of his team ­ truly thrilled the Madrid crowd: he was on the podium on eleven occasions altogether, between individual and relay events. In addition, he beat two world records, in 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke, although in the latter he had to make do, in the end, with second place. Segarra finally obtained 5 gold medals and 2 individual silver medals. In the relay events, Spain won 1 gold and 3 silver. Another Spaniard, Miguel Deniz, with 3 individual gold medals, one team gold medal, 2 individual and 3 relay silvers, and one other bronze medal put in a splendid performance.

The Briton Tim Riddish ­ with 3 individual and 3 team gold medals ­ was another of the top swimmers. Britain's total in swimming came to 9 gold, 7 silver and 4 bronze medals. Also noteworthy was the Norwegian Noel Pedersen, who won all his country's medals in these Championships ­ 2 gold and 3 bronze medals.

In the relays, the British team was really strong: they set 3 world records and won the gold in the 4x50 and 4x100 freestyle and in the 4x50 medley with a team comprising Holmes, Leach, Reddish and Konuralp.

The only three Austrian representatives in this sport won all their country's medals too. In the B2 category, the Australian Kingsley Bugarin won 4 gold medals in different styles: 100 and 200m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 200m medley. Jeffrey Hardy took 3 silver and Tracey Cross won 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.

In the women's category, together with the Australian girl Cross, we must once again underscore the performance of the veteran American swimmer and record-holder Trischa Zorn (B2) ­ a true heroine in her country ­ who came away with 2 individual and 1 team gold medals, one silver and a bronze. The 34-year-old swimmer, with over 20 medals to her credit, has participated in all the Paralympic Games and World Championships held to date. Together with the Spanish girl, Purificación Santamarta, she is one the top figures on the international blind sports stage.

The Canadian Marie Claire Ross, with 3 gold and 3 silver medals, and the German girls Nina Eiben and Daniela Roehle, with 5 and 4 medals respectively, and world records in the 200m freestyle in B3 and B1, were outstanding performers in this sport.

Mention must also go to the Chinese girl Hongyan Zhu (B2), who achieved 3 gold medals and two world records in the 50 and 100m freestyle.