The Para Swimming World Series in Indianapolis opened with a record-breaking bang, led by American Paralympic veteran Leanne Smith , who rewrote the record books with three stunning performances on the first day of competition.
Smith, 36, returned to the pool after a four-month break following her successful campaign at the Paris Paralympics—and wasted no time making history. Competing in the S3 classification, she broke world records in the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle events.
In the 100m freestyle final, Smith clocked 1:26.76, nearly a full second faster than her previous best from the 2022 World Championships. Along the way, she became the first woman in her class to swim under 40 seconds in the 50m freestyle, touching in 39.99 and eclipsing her own world mark of 40.03 set in Paris.
Later in the 200m freestyle, she improved her 2022 world record of 3:15.48 with a blistering 3:09.65 finish.
“It’s something I didn’t expect,” Smith told U.S. Paralympics . “But switching up my training and taking a solid four months off from swimming was refreshing and much-needed. These records are emotional for me... working within your limits is OK and it’s enough.”
Joining her in the record-setting spotlight was 20-year-old Katie Kubiak, a New York University student making her international debut. Kubiak broke world records in the S4 classification 100m freestyle (1:17.72) and 150m individual medley (2:32.03), shaving over seven seconds off the previous IM record held by Liu Yu of China.
Despite low expectations, Kubiak won four medals in four events, sharing the 100m podium with Smith and fellow American Morgan Stickney.
“I just wanted to come in and have a good time,” Kubiak said. “I’ve never been on a stage quite this big... I’m really happy with the times I ended up swimming.”
On the men’s side, Brazil’s five-time Paralympic champion Gabriel dos Santos Araujo continued his dominance. Competing in the S2 class, he swept golds in the 100m freestyle, 150m IM, and 50m butterfly, scoring over 1,000 points in the freestyle with a time of 1:58.80.
The Indy meet is the first North American stop in the 2025 World Para Swimming Series, and with two days of competition remaining, all eyes remain on Smith, who is expected to race in multiple sprint events.
Smith, 36, returned to the pool after a four-month break following her successful campaign at the Paris Paralympics—and wasted no time making history. Competing in the S3 classification, she broke world records in the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle events.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DI2Uozjp2Xo/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DI2Uozjp2Xo/
In the 100m freestyle final, Smith clocked 1:26.76, nearly a full second faster than her previous best from the 2022 World Championships. Along the way, she became the first woman in her class to swim under 40 seconds in the 50m freestyle, touching in 39.99 and eclipsing her own world mark of 40.03 set in Paris.
Later in the 200m freestyle, she improved her 2022 world record of 3:15.48 with a blistering 3:09.65 finish.
“It’s something I didn’t expect,” Smith told U.S. Paralympics . “But switching up my training and taking a solid four months off from swimming was refreshing and much-needed. These records are emotional for me... working within your limits is OK and it’s enough.”
Joining her in the record-setting spotlight was 20-year-old Katie Kubiak, a New York University student making her international debut. Kubiak broke world records in the S4 classification 100m freestyle (1:17.72) and 150m individual medley (2:32.03), shaving over seven seconds off the previous IM record held by Liu Yu of China.
Despite low expectations, Kubiak won four medals in four events, sharing the 100m podium with Smith and fellow American Morgan Stickney.
“I just wanted to come in and have a good time,” Kubiak said. “I’ve never been on a stage quite this big... I’m really happy with the times I ended up swimming.”
On the men’s side, Brazil’s five-time Paralympic champion Gabriel dos Santos Araujo continued his dominance. Competing in the S2 class, he swept golds in the 100m freestyle, 150m IM, and 50m butterfly, scoring over 1,000 points in the freestyle with a time of 1:58.80.
The Indy meet is the first North American stop in the 2025 World Para Swimming Series, and with two days of competition remaining, all eyes remain on Smith, who is expected to race in multiple sprint events.
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