Day 2

Even Saturday morning, Brazilian swimmers are on fire. Two news American records, set by José Ronaldo da Silva (100 S1 back, 3.02.68 lowering his own personal best of 3.03.18) and Joao Pedro Brutos de Oliveira (100 SB14 breast 1.05.57, lowering the former record of the teammate Gabriel Bandeira 1.06.31), Gabriel Geraldo Dos Santos Araujo (50 S2 free 55.45, former 55.52).

 

In the second day of competition, more countries climb out the podium. In the A finals Simone Barlaam (ITA, S9, 1.02.98) and Poppy Maskill (GBR, S14, 1.09.12) wins gold in the 100m back.

In the 100m men breast, Carols Serrano Zarate (COL, SB7, 1.11.53) wins gold, Joao Pedro Brutos de Oliveira (SB14, 1.04.93) wins silver and set a new American record; Michelle Alonso Morales (ESP, SB14, 1.15.72) wins gold among the women.

In the 50m free, gold medals for Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo (S2, 53.08, new American record) and Mariana Ribeiro (BRA, S9, 28.58).

In the last race of the day, Efrem Morelli (ITA, SB3, 50.15) and Patricia Pereira dos Santos (BRA, SB3, 1.01.71) win gold in the 50m breast.

 

To this day 10 American records have been set.

Brazil leads the medal table with 10 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze medals in front of Italy (6-4-4) and Colombia (1-2-0).

Day 2 World Series Lignano Sabbiadoro 2022

HANOCH BUDIN – INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFIER

How’s it going with this Italian Leg of the World Series?

I’m very familiar with this place, with the competition, with Italy. The location is very comfortable, with all the venues and services close together. It’s a strange season: the city closed, this few people around, but everything is good for training and classification.

 

You have a great experience as a classifier. How it’s Para Swimming growing over the years?

As a former athlete and swimmer I’m very happy to see that everything develops in a very good way: athletes are better trained, more focused, there is more money for the organizations and the athletes -this is very important, so they can pursue their swimming career. The International (IPC) and the National (NPC) Paralympic committes, and the governements, should support them because they represent their countries. Of course there are some things that need to be corrected, but I’m very happy of this development.

 

How did the Covid pandemic affect your job as a classifier?

As classifiers we need to travel, we travel worldwide and every country has its Covid rules and regulations. We need to adapt and respect all these rules. Sometimes you have to test at every connection, sometimes you don’t have direct flies… It’s difficoult, and when you arrive there are more rules, you have to live in the bubble. Tokyo has been a great challenge. Of course we prefer a free environment. In the last two years we’ve had less opportunities to classify, and this is not good.

 

Why did you choose to become a classifier?

This is a very interesting question. I used to be a swimmer, and I do my job for the swimmers. As a former swimmer I am aware that the classification is a big issue, and I try to reassure the swimmers that I know what I am doing and that I am here for them and I know the matter better than anyone else. I do it for the athletes. I work to create the fairest possible environment. It’s a very difficult job. Sometimes people do not understand: we are volunteers who leave our families and our jobs, but we keep doing it for the love of the sport