The Portuguese swimmer Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal’s first medalist in the Swimming World Cup with silver this Monday in the 50-meter butterfly in Fukuoka, was “stunned” for being runner-up in the world in the distance.
“I’m speechless, I still can’t believe it,” the 18-year-old admitted, quoted by the Portuguese Swimming Federation.
The historic feat of the young man, junior world record holder in the distance, was achieved with a time of 22.80 seconds, a new national record, behind the Italian Thomas Ceccon (22.68) and ahead of the Frenchman Maxime Grousset (22.82), third.
“I knew I could dream,” summed up the swimmer.
Ribeiro, a native of Coimbra and currently representing Benfica, intends to stay in Fukuoka “facing one event at a time”, and the junior world champion in the 100 fly and 50 freestyle promises only “to be focused and give everything”.
The feat of the young man, who has already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly), achieves it just in his senior World Cup debut, making history by achieving what Portugal had never achieved, a World Cup podium in any of the disciplines (pure swimming, open water, artistic, diving and water polo).
She improves on Alexandre Yokochi’s fifth place in the 200-meter breaststroke in Madrid 1986, being Ana Barros, eighth in the 50-meter backstroke in Perth 1991, the other Portuguese finalist in the World Cup.
This is Diogo Ribeiro’s second medal in senior competitions, after being third at the 2022 Europeans, in Rome, over the same distance, just Portugal’s third medal at European Championships, after Yokochi, bronze in Sofia 1985 (200 backstroke), and Alexis Santos, in London 2016 (200 IM).
For Portugal, the event in Fukuoka, Japan, is having several important moments, and today, in addition to silver, João Costa achieved a new national record and qualifying mark for Paris 2024, in the 100-meter backstroke.
Angélica André had been fourth in the 5km open water race, which was Portugal’s best result so far, and Cheila Vieira and Maria Beatriz Gonçalves achieved 11th place in the technical duo final at the Artistic Swimming World Championships.
The World Swimming Championships will take place until next Sunday in Fukuoka, Japan.
Source: TSF
