The 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships in Bangkok have officially entered historic territory. On Day 4 alone, swimmers shattered 13 Virtus World Records, bringing the championship total to a staggering 41 world records in just four days of competition. The pool at Assumption University continues to witness extraordinary feats of talent, determination, and inclusion.

Out of the 41 world records shattered so far at #Bangkok2025, an incredible 28 have come from the II3 competition class — where athletes with autism are competing. The II2 class, for athletes with an intellectual disability and significant additional impairment, has contributed 8 records, while the II1 class, for athletes with an intellectual impairment, has seen 5 records fall.

Morishita, Wallington, and Parisot Lead the Charge

Japan’s Ayako Morishita made her mark, storming to victory in the II2 Women’s 200m Butterfly with a Virtus World Record time of 3:18.51.

Australia’s unstoppable Kate Wallington added yet another title to her growing legacy, smashing the II3 Women’s 400m Medley in 5:24.29 and in the II3 Women’s 200m Butterfly with 2:34.03. Wallington’s haul now stands at seven individual Virtus World Records and eight overall, making her one of the most decorated athletes of Bangkok 2025.

Meanwhile, France’s powerhouse Axel Parisot continued his remarkable run, breaking the II3 Men’s 400m Medley record in 4:48.95 and in the II3 Men’s 100m Freestyle, clocking 54.13 sec, proving once again why he is one of the stars of this championship.

Relay Teams Shine Bright

Relay events were equally dramatic on Day 4, with teams around the globe stepping onto the record books:

Team Italy celebrated their first record of the meet in the II2 Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay, clocking 11:16.48.

Australia added another gold highlight with a Virtus World Record in the II1 Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay, finishing in 9:21.09.

A thrilling battle unfolded in the II3 Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay, where France ultimately emerged victorious with 8:44.90. Turkey, Italy, and Colombia also broke the previous world record in the same race, showcasing the incredible depth of competition.

The Australian II3 Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team set the mark at 9:50.40, further extending the nation’s dominance in the pool.

Mattia Tononi (centre in left photo) and Minke Janse (centre in right photo) enjoy their podium moments with their fellow medalists.

Freestyle and Butterfly event records lowered

South Africa’s Minke Janse Van Rensburg added to her growing reputation, breaking the II2 Women’s 100m Freestyle record with 1:15.50.

Italy’s Mattia Tononi celebrated his second record of the championship, touching in 1:05.95 to set the II2 Men’s 100m Freestyle mark.

Australia’s Amie Holwill continued her sensational form, seizing her fourth overall record and second solo title in the II3 Women’s 100m Freestyle with 1:00.05.

Alexander Hejaij soared to his second solo and fourth overall record, shattering the II3 Men’s 200m Butterfly with 2:12.07.

In a dramatic finish, the host nation snatched the gold medal away from Japan in the 4x200m Freestyle by microseconds.

Thailand celebrates its first relay gold medal in the 4x200m Freestyle.

From rising stars like Morishita and Hejaij to seasoned champions like Wallington and Parisot, Day 4 showcased the depth and brilliance of athletes with intellectual impairment on the global stage. With 41 Virtus World Records already broken and more days of racing still to come, Bangkok 2025 is not only setting new benchmarks for competitive excellence but also proving the unshakable truth: ability knows no limits.

Follow Virtus on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated. Official results can be accessed from here. Watch the livestream on Virtus’ YouTube channel.

The second day of the 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships in Bangkok delivered another wave of historic performances, with athletes breaking multiple world records and raising the bar for excellence among elite swimmers with an intellectual impairment.

South Africa celebrated its first gold medal of the Championships thanks to a sensational performance by Minke Janse Van Rensburg.

Minke Janse Van Rensburg (centre) is receiving her historic medal from #Bangkok2025 Virtus World Swimming Championship.

• In the Women’s 200m Freestyle, Minke broke Virtus World Record twice in one day—first setting a new mark in the heats (2:51.20) before breaking her own record again in the finals to 2:49.81.

• She also made history in the II2 Women’s 50m Butterfly, breaking the world record in the heats with 37.25 seconds.

Her outstanding display brought double victory for South Africa and firmly established her as one of the stars of Bangkok 2025.

Kate Wallington (centre), who thrashed four Virtus World Records at the #Bangkok2025

The II3 events were equally dramatic, producing a flurry of Virtus World Records.

• Women’s 200m Individual Medley witnessed three record-breaking swims in a single day.

  • New Zealand’s Quinn Pike briefly held the title with 2:45.29 when she broke the record in heat no. 7.

  • Australia’s Kate Wallington then eclipsed it twice—first in the heat no. 8 (2:37.54), breaking Quinn’s record, before lowering it once more in the finals to 2:33.62.

• Amie Holwill (GBR) joined the elite list of record-setters, powering to a new Virtus World Record in the Women’s 200m Freestyle (II3) with 2:12.43.

• Emma Chantry (GBR) also left her mark by smashing the Women’s 50m Butterfly (II3) with a world record time of 31.14.

• French star Axel Parisot claimed his second and third world records of the Championships—winning the Men’s 200m Freestyle (1:56.92) and then dominating the Men’s 200m Individual Medley with 2:12.63.

• Team Australia added more glory in the relays, taking gold in the Men’s 4x50m Freestyle with a time of 1:45.80.

A Championship of Champions

With every session producing new benchmarks, the 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships is fast becoming a landmark in the history of para sport. Day 2 alone delivered at least eleven new world records, including the ones that were broken twice or thrice, showcasing the extraordinary depth of talent across all categories.

Athletes, coaches, and fans alike are celebrating not only medals and victories but also the spirit of determination and inclusion that defines Virtus sport.

Follow Virtus on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated.

Official results can be accessed from here.

Watch the livestream on Virtus’ YouTube channel.

August 8 is Safe Sport Day, a global moment to raise awareness about the importance of protecting young or vulnerable people in sport. Virtus proudly stands with the International Safeguards for Children in Sport to support this essential cause.

Every person has the right to enjoy sport in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment — no matter where they play, what sport they choose, or their level of ability.

At Virtus, we are committed to safeguarding the rights of all children and vulnerable adults across our events, activities, and membership. This includes protecting them from any form of abuse — physical, emotional, or sexual.

Athletes with intellectual impairment can be at a greater risk, as they face challenges in communicating, learning, or understanding things. This may make them more vulnerable and less likely to report harmful behaviour.

To help prevent this, the International Safeguards for Children in Sport outlines eight key steps for creating safer environments:

1. Have a clear safeguarding policy

2. Know what to do if you’re concerned

3. Offer guidance and support

4. Understand and address potential risks

5. Set clear rules around acceptable and unacceptable behaviour

6. Recruit and train staff safely

7. Involve partners in safeguarding efforts

8. Monitor, evaluate, and continue learning

This year for #SafeSportDay, we want to celebrate our safeguarding champions. We want to thank all our Virtus members, coaches, staff, volunteers, officials and athletes, who make Virtus events and activities safe.

Virtus has safeguarding code in place to ensure that everyone — especially children and vulnerable adults — are safe, respected, and protected from harm. We encourage every individual and organisation within the Virtus family to take this responsibility seriously.

As part of our commitment, Virtus also offers a free online course on safeguarding through the Virtus Academy.

Let’s work together to make sport a safe place for everyone.

25 July 2025 will forever stand as a historic moment for Virtus — a day that marked the official global launch of the International Day for People with an Intellectual Impairment (IDPwII). The digital celebration resonated across continents, uniting voices in a powerful call for visibility, recognition, and inclusion.

The day saw overwhelming participation from Virtus members worldwide, with support pouring in from International Federations, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and regional and national Paralympic committees — all joining virtually to mark the beginning of a bold new movement.

Andrew Parsons, President of the International Paralympic Committee, praised the initiative and underscored its importance:

“I just want to congratulate Virtus for the launch of the International Day for People with an Intellectual Impairment. It is so important to have one day to celebrate the achievements of this population, especially when we talk about Paralympic sport and Para sport. Athletes with an intellectual impairment are at the heart of the Paralympic movement, so to celebrate this day, the 25th of July, it’s just an incredible feeling. Congratulations.”

Marc Truffaut, President of Virtus, echoed that sentiment with conviction:

“We really needed this day. One day, dedicated to people with an intellectual impairment, when they can celebrate their achievements and feel proud. It’s time that this community gets the light and recognition they deserve.”

“Virtus has a huge workforce of volunteers who are the backbone of this organisation. And it was truly an inspiring experience for everyone. On behalf of Virtus, I want to thank everyone who joined us in the launch of this global observance day and made it a grand success,” he further added. 

Virtus members from around the world expressed their joy in celebrating the day:

“Our social media platforms were flooded with joyful images of our athletes celebrating across the country. But beyond the celebrations, we could see the power of this day to show the world the strength and spirit of our athletes. It was truly an inspiring experience for all of us — one that reminded us why we do what we do, and how sport has the power to unite, uplift, and give purpose,” said Ebrahiem Ahmed,  official from ESFID, Virtus member in Egypt.

The launch timing aligned with two major events — the 2025 Virtus World Para Dressage Championship in Sparsholt and the European Para Youth Games in Istanbul — further amplifying the global reach and significance of the day.

Reflecting on the overwhelming response, Mousumi Mazumdar, Marketing and Communication Officer at Virtus, shared:

“When we decided to launch IDPwII digitally, we were a little anxious as you cannot anticipate the level of participation. But, we were thrilled to see such a fantastic response from all our members, IFs, IPC, NPCs and most importantly, the athletes. Our social media channels got flooded with amazing content from around the world. We could see how eagerly our community was waiting for this day. We can only imagine how big the future editions will get and the impact of this day on millions of people who are living with an intellectual impairment around the world.”

Looking ahead, Virtus envisions the International Day for People with an Intellectual Impairment as a powerful annual platform — one that will not only celebrate, but also spotlight the challenges this community faces. From raising awareness and breaking down barriers, to challenging and changing perceptions and building a truly inclusive world — IDPwII is here to lead the way.