Chambers Clinches Hat Trick of Gold, Weggemann Seals Perfect Podium Run on Day Six of World Championships

SINGAPORE – Over the course of a storied career spanning nearly two decades, Paralympic champion Mallory Weggemann (Eagan, Minnesota) has competed in 21 finals and secured a podium finish in every single one. On the sixth and penultimate day of the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships, the Minnesota native captured her 17th world title, cementing her place in history as she medaled for the 21st consecutive time. In a thrilling sprint finish in the women’s 50m freestyle S7, Weggemann closed out her 2025 campaign with gold, edging the field by just four one-hundredths of a second. 

“This has been so fun,” said Weggemann. “I have raced 21 world championship races, and I have now won 21 world championship medals. It is so surreal to finish this competition with gold in the 50 free. I’ve said it all week, there is so much pride in getting to represent Team USA still, to do it with my family in the stands and still be on this journey. I thoroughly love this sport and it’s so fun to see all the incredible ways it keeps advancing.”

2025 world champions Olivia Chambers (Little Rock, Arkansas) and Grace Nuhfer (Greenwood, Indiana) reunited in both the pool and on the podium to kick off the evening of finals. Chambers struck gold once again, completing a hat trick of world titles with her victory in the women’s 400m freestyle S13 - the same event that crowned her a Paralympic champion - finishing more than six seconds ahead of the field. 

“My secret is to just have fun,” said Chambers. “I love that race, getting out there and seeing what I can do but not putting too much pressure on myself to win.”

“I didn’t know what to expect this year. It’s the year after the Games, so you never really know where everyone is going to be, and I just hoped that I could do my best.” 

Nuhfer added her second bronze and third medal of the meet, securing the third-place finish alongside Chambers for the duo’s second shared podium in Singapore.

“I’m just really happy to be here,” said Nuhfer. “I didn’t expect to come here and win three medals. The staff and the team have been amazing. Coach Patrick and I have been working on my freestyle. We totally reconstructed it and put it back together. I’m grateful for him having patience with me and being able to see that pay off is really awesome.”

Two-time Paralympian Leanne Smith (Salem, Massachusetts) delivered another dominant performance winning back-to-back golds on consecutive nights. Smith stormed to victory in the women’s 200m freestyle S3, finishing nearly 30 seconds ahead of the field to secure her 12th career world title and a championship record time of 3:16.34. The commanding win brought her total medal count in Singapore to six heading into the last day of competition. 

“I’m a little bit beat up at the moment,” said Smith. “We have one more race tomorrow to get through, so looking forward to that. I think if anything, this is giving us perspective for what L.A. might look like as far as weather conditions and how to manage that with how my body is tolerating it. I’m gathering information from here; it’s definitely helped and will help moving forward.” 

Just shy of the podium were two-time Paralympic medalist Noah Jaffe (Carlsbad, California) and fifty-five-time world championship medalist Jessica Long (Baltimore, Maryland) who finished fourth in the men’s and women’s 200m individual medley S8, respectively. The pair each won a bronze medal earlier in the meet. 

Paralympian Ahalya Lettenberger (Glen Ellyn, Illinois) recorded the sixth-fastest time in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB6, while 2025 bronze medalist Morgan Ray (St. Augustine, Florida) secured the fifth-best finish in the men’s event to close out the night for Team USA.

The 2025 world championships will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 27, beginning at 9 a.m. GMT+8. A livestream is available to view at www.youtube.com/paralympics. For more information on U.S. Paralympics Swimming, visit usparaswimming.org.

For photo or interview requests, please contact Annemarie.Blanco@usopc.org. 

Team USA Results: 

Olivia Chambers, gold, women’s 400m freestyle S13

Leanne Smith, gold, women’s 200m freestyle S3

Mallory Weggemann, gold, women’s 50m freestyle S7 

Grace Nuhfer, bronze, women’s 400m freestyle S13 

Jessica Long, 4th, women’s 200m IM S8 

Noah Jaffe, 4th, men’s 200m IM S8 

Morgan Ray, 5th, men’s 100m breaststroke SB6

Ahalya Lettenberger, 6th, women’s 100m breaststroke SB6