Record number of countries to compete in 2013 Swimming World Champs

OTTAWA, July 15, 2013 /CNW/ - In just four weeks' time the world's greatest swimmers - from a record number of countries - will gather in Montreal, Canada for the biggest international swimming competition since London 2012.

The 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships will take place from 12-18 August and will see over 500 athletes from 57 countries looking to place themselves firmly on the map ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Amongst them will be nine-time Paralympic Champion and reigning World Champion in the 200m individual medley S10, Benoit Huot from Montreal, Canada. He will face Brazilian Andre Brasil, who has picked up seven Paralympic titles and nine World titles, and newcomer Ian Silverman of the USA, who collected gold in London in the 400m freestyle. Speaking to Paralympic.org, Huot said:

"The 200m individual medley is still my strongest event. Andre is dominating every single stroke, except the breast stroke. It will definitely be the race to watch at Montreal 2013.

"Ian Silverman is an upcomer. He beat me in the backstroke in April in Minneapolis. He was at home, he is young, he is fresh and he has lots of energy coming out of London. He is definitely going to be the one to look for."

Ten-time Paralympic Champion Daniel Dias is hoping to continue his blistering form from London 2012 on his road to his home Paralympics in Rio 2016. He has already broken the 100m butterfly S5 world record (1:17.70) in the lead up to the Worlds at May's German internationals in Berlin. His biggest rival will be American Roy Perkins.

Whilst Dias cleaned up in London, Perkins was not far behind picking up a silver in the 100m freestyle S5 and 50m butterfly S5 and bronze in both the 50m and 200m freestyle S5.

American Jessica Long has become a superstar in the States following her stunning career successes to date in the S8 class including at London 2012, where she picked up five golds, one silver and one bronze. At the last World Championships in 2010 in Eindhoven, Long won five World titles following on from her amazing success in 2006 where she broke 18 world records at the World Champs in Durban, South Africa.

Entering a World Championships for the first time in Montreal will be Namibia, Georgia and Armenia. The number of countries entering has grown steadily over the years and peaks in Montreal with 57 currently confirmed to compete in 170 medal events.

At the last World Championships in 2010 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Ukraine topped the medals table with 58 medals. They were closely followed by the USA with 57 and Russia with 43.

The competition will be staged at the world renowned parc Jean Drapeau which has previously hosted the FINA World Championships, in the first time an event of this kind has been held in North America. Montreal has a long history of hosting major international sporting competitions and the IPC Swimming World Championships will feature strongly in the busy Montreal Summer calendar.

Tickets for Montreal 2013 are available from https://billets-tickets.montrealipc2013.com/ from as little as 11.50 CAD for a child day ticket and 17.00 CAD for an adult ticket.

Notes to the Editor

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, and also acts as the International Federation for nine sports, including swimming.

The sport is governed by the IPC and co-ordinated by the IPC Swimming Sports Technical Committee, offering a wide range of competitions and events for male and female athletes in all impairment groups.

For further information, please visit www.paralympic.org/swimming, www.twitter.com/IPCSwimming, www.facebook.com/IPCSwimming  or www.ParalympicSport.TV.

SOURCE: Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC)