With the upcoming IISA 6th World Championship being held in the ice-ready 50m swimming pool in Molveno, Italy next week between January 13th and 19th, there will be 754 athletes from 48 countries around the world competing. Of those, there will be dozens of disabled para swimmers, including the elite who hold many International Ice Swimming Association (@international_ice_swimming) world records.
Several new para swimming world records will undoubtedly be set, predicted by ice swimming prognosticator Steven Munatones. “The competition is becoming increasingly faster and more experienced fierce. Under the leadership of IISA board member Jonty Warneken, with the full support of the rest of the IISA board and ice swimming community, adventurous and hardened disabled ice swimmers know their participation is more than welcomed and inspirational. Now that the community can taste the possibility of an ice swimming event being added to the Winter Olympic Games, the level of athleticism in the sport of ice swimming continues to increase. We are going to see an incredible number of records being set – both able-bodied and disabled, overall and across all age groups.”
On the women’s side, 48-year-old Tina Deeken of Germany holds 8 of the 10 possible world records. But eyes will also be on the Irish duo of 1000m freestyle world record holder 51-year-old Nicola Doran and her 100m individual medley teammate 62-year-old Patricia Heffernan [shown above, left to right].
On the men’s side, eyes will be on New Zealand’s 50-year-old distance freestyler Francois Lambrechts (1000m in 19:20.99 + 500m freestyle in 8:59.71 + 250m freestyle in 4:15.45) and his 49-year-old backstroker Kiwi teammate Brett Bythell (100m backstroke in 3:08.99 and 50m backstroke in 1:21.73). Additionally, high expectations are on France’s 64-year-old Marc Boutin (100m freestyle in 1:29.51 + 100m butterfly in 1:46.53 + 50m freestyle in 38.39 + 50m butterfly in 43.43) and 33-year-old German breaststroker Joseph Rothenaicher (100m breaststroke in 1:44.85 and 50m breaststroke in 46.03) look to drop their best times and set new world records.
What are the current IISA Para Swimming World Records? See below for the latest:
Men’s IISA Para Swimming World Records
- 1000m freestyle: Francois Lambrechts, New Zealand in 19:20.99
- 500m freestyle: Francois Lambrechts, New Zealand in 8:59.71
- 250m freestyle: Francois Lambrechts, New Zealand in 4:15.45
- 100m freestyle: Marc Boutin, France in 1:29.51
- 100m breaststroke: Joseph Rothenaicher, Germany in 1:44.85
- 100m individual medley: Marc Boutin, France in 1:44.68
- 100m backstroke: Brett Bythell, New Zealand in 3:08.99
- 100m butterfly: Marc Boutin, France in 1:46.53
- 50m freestyle: Marc Boutin, France in 38.39
- 50m breaststroke: Joseph Rothenaicher, Germany in 46.03
- 50m butterfly: Marc Boutin, France in 43.43
- 50m backstroke: Brett Bythell, New Zealand in 1:21.73
Women’s IISA Para Swimming World Records
- 1000m freestyle: Nicola Doran, Ireland in 17:53.48
- 500m freestyle: Tina Deeken, Germany in 8:36.06
- 250m freestyle: Tina Deeken, Germany in 4:06.86
- 100m freestyle: Tina Deeken, Germany in 1:26.92
- 100m breaststroke: Tina Deeken, Germany in 1:57.79
- 100m individual medley: Patricia Heffernan, Ireland in 2:10.06
- 100m backstroke: Tina Deeken, Germany in 1:46.95
- 50m freestyle: Tina Deeken, Germany in 39.68
- 50m breaststroke: Tina Deeken, Germany in 54.04
- 50m backstroke: Tina Deeken, Germany in 47.25
IISA founder Ram Barkai says, “The Ice Swimming World Championship 2025 will bring the world’s most elite ice swimmers to the stunning shores of Molveno Lake in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. This championship from January 14th to the 18th promises to celebrate human endurance, mental resilience, and international camaraderie among athletes from 48 countries worldwide.
The IISA 6th World Championship is bound to be freezing, heart-warming, and exciting. Ice Swimming is not for the faint-hearted. We are not doing it because it is easy. We do it because it is hard and benefits our body and mind. Ice Swimming is a team experience. One minute, we compete against one another; the next minute, we are helping each other. We do it for the safety and the love of the ICE.“
Live coverage of the IISA 6th World Championship will be shown here, hosted by multi-lingual Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan, and organized by Ice Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Paolo Chiarino.
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