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Paralympic gold medallist Lakeisha Patterson led the charge for the Aussies competing at the World Para-swimming World Series in Indianapolis, USA, on 9-11 June, picking up an impressive five gold medals.

Patterson won the women’s 100m freestyle S8, women’s 100m backstroke S8, women’s 100m butterfly S8, women’s 200m individual medley SM8 and women’s 400m freestyle S8, and came in second in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8.

After picking up two gold medals at last year’s Paralympic Games, the Brisbane-based swimmer will be looking to continue her fine form, as she prepares to contest the 2017 World Para-swimming Championships in Mexico this October.

Paralympic teammates Blake Cochrane, Braedan Jason and Logan Powell also won four golds apiece, with Australia claiming 33 top places in total.

82 per cent of finals performances were faster than in the heats, and 63 per cent of all performances were faster than those of the 2017 Australian Swimming Championships in April.

Seven Australian swimmers also underwent international classification, with Maddison Elliott and Tiffany Thomas Kane being reclassified as S8 and S7 swimmers respectively. Newcomer Jasmine Greenwood had her first international classification, and will be competing in the S10, SB9 and SM10 categories. All three athletes’ classifications will be reviewed in 2018.

“The classification of athletes in Para-swimming is a requirement for competition and carried out by independent medical and technical classifiers,” said Swimming Australia’s Paralympic High Performance Manager, Adam Pine.

“We have a strong support system around our athletes to ensure that they will continue to race confidently, and I am confident that the athletes will embrace the challenge and continue to improve.

“Already, we have seen these athletes step up at the meet, with Tiffany collecting two gold, Jasmine picking up one, and Maddie taking a third-place finish in her new classification.

“Overall, I am extremely impressed with the Australian team’s performance so early in the year, and I am looking forward to seeing them continue to progress as we head towards the World Championships in October and the Commonwealth Games in April 2018. Plus, it is only 1169 days until the Paralympic Games.”

This year’s final World Series event will be staged in Berlin, Germany, from 6-9 July. It is the last major international competition before the World Para-swimming Championships, to be held from 30 September – 6 October.

By Swimming Australia
Posted: 15/06/2017