Records Tumble on Day 2 of Virtus World Swimming Championships in Bangkok

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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.

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Official results can be accessed from here.

Watch the livestream on Virtus’ YouTube channel.