David Abrahams (left), Morgan Ray (middle) featured on the podium at the Citi Para Swimming World Series USA 2023. Photo credit: Jayme Halbritter.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - Nearly 140 athletes from 13 nations headed to the Twin Cities for the American stop of the 2023 Para swimming world series circuit. Team USA dominated the podium grabbing a total of 11 medals (four gold, four silver, three bronze) and three American records on the first day of competition at the Citi Para Swimming World Series USA 2023. For U.S. athletes, the event acts as the qualifier for athletes to be named to the Manchester 2023 Para Swimming World Championships team this summer.

Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Elizabeth Marks (Colorado Springs, Colorado) snagged the first title of the night in the women’s 100-meter freestyle in record time taking the American record with a time of 1:13.16. Six-time Paralympic medalist McKenzie Coan (Clarkesville, Georgia) grabbed a silver medal win just behind Marks.

“I feel really good,” said Coan. “That was a great race. I had a lot of fun out there, and being out there beside my teammates is always a plus.”

It was a golden start for national team member Morgan Ray (St. Augustine, Florida) who added his seventh American record and second world series win with a time of 1:22.99 in the men’s 100m breaststroke. Paralympian David Abrahams (Havertown, Pennsylvania) grabbed silver in the event, the same race which made him a Paralympic silver medalist in Tokyo.

“It was a painful morning swim, I just had to get the jitters out but tonight I cleaned up a lot,” said Ray. “I was more conservative in the front half of the race and was able to finish a lot stronger, so I just put my head down and hit my hand on the wall. My teammates at home gave me that extra push. I know they’re really supporting me.”

Three-time Paralympian Colleen Young (St. Louis, Missouri) picked up the third U.S. gold medal for the evening with 2023 national team newbie Olivia Chambers (Little Rock, Arkansas) grabbing bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke.

“This is a big meet for U.S. Para swimmers,” said Young. “This is our trials for world championships so to come away with the win and a decent time for the season is definitely something to be happy about.”

Looking to make his first world championship team, Trevor Lukacsko (Basking Ridge, New Jersey) was off to a stellar start taking an American record during the preliminary races of the men’s 100m breaststroke before ending the night with a 200m freestyle bronze.

The Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center is the first venue in the United States toestablish an integrated World Para Swimming timing and points system. Racing resumes for the second day of competition at 9 a.m. CST on April 21. All races are mixed class with results based on the World Para Swimming points system to create an equitable field of play among the different classes. All sessions will be streamed live on USParaSwimming.org/live-stream and on the U.S. Paralympics Swimming Facebook page. For full results from the first day of competition, click here.

Follow U.S. Paralympics Swimming on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates and results from the team.

For media requests and photo inquiries, please contact Annemarie Blanco at Annemarie.Blanco@usopc.org.

MEDALISTS

Women’s 100m Freestyle

Elizabeth Marks, S6 - AMERICAN RECORD
McKenzie Coan, S7
Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (BRA), S12

Men’s 100m Freestyle

Ugo Didier (FRA), S9
Noah Jaffe, S8
Jamal Hill, S9

Women’s 50m Breaststroke

Nely Edith Miranda Herrera (MEX), SB3
Maria Alejandra Macias Hernandez (COL), SB3
Lidia Vierira Da Cruz (BRA), SB3

Men’s 50m Breaststroke

Arnulfo Castorena (MEX), SB2
Gustavo Ramon Sanchez Martinez (MEX), SB3
Angel De Jesus Camacho Ramirez, (MEX), SB3

Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Colleen Young, SB13
Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (BRA), SB12
Olivia Chambers, SB13

Men’s 100m Breaststroke

Morgan Ray, SB6 – AMERICAN RECORD
David Abrahams, SB13
Ugo Didier (FRA), SB8

Women’s 200m Freestyle

Piper Sadowski, S14
Abigail Kershaw, S14
Lidia Vierira Da Cruz (BRA), S4

Men’s 200m Freestyle

Angel De Jesus Camacho Ramirez (MEX), S4
Gustavo Ramon Sanchez Martinez (MEX), S4
Trevor Lukacsko, S14

Team USA Smashes Three American Records on Opening Day of 2023 World Series

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