Blind Swimmer Kratochvíl Sets World Record, Claims Fifth Gold at European Championships

At the European Para Swimming Championships in Turkey, 18-year-old Czech swimmer Kryštof Kratochvíl set a new world record in the 100-metre freestyle, clocking 55.03 seconds and shaving 0.31 seconds off his previous best. It was already his fifth gold medal of the tournament.

The visually impaired swimmer took the lead almost from the first strokes, holding more than a second and a half's advantage over his rivals by the turn. "Absolute bomb! The race was superb right from the start. Just amazing, I honestly don't know what to say. And the fact that it's a world record is the cherry on top — this is what all the training and all the races were for," Kratochvíl said after the swim.

The 18-year-old sees his five gold medals as the reward for an enormous amount of hard work. "It's brutal, grinding work to keep improving year after year. I'm really happy it's paying off and that everything has come together so quickly now," the swimmer said. On the championship's final day, he is also set to race the 100-metre backstroke.

Kopilová's Silver and the Team's Overall Medal Count

The Czech team's medal haul, now standing at eight, grew further thanks to Agáta Kopilová, who took silver in the same 100-metre freestyle event. The swimmer, who has cerebral palsy, delivered an excellent final swim, finishing in 1:25.96 and coming second behind Italy's Monica Boggioni.

"Super. I'm happy it worked out so well for silver. The time is great too — actually the best of the season for me. It's a bit of a shame it's still not a Czech record in the 100 metres, but there's always next time," the 26-year-old Kopilová said of her race.

Next up for the para-swimmer is her signature event — the 200-metre freestyle. "I can't wait for the 200 metres, it's my main event, the one I love most. I'll be swimming it in the morning heats too, so hopefully the afternoon result will be worth it," Kopilová said of her plans, having already won two medals at this European Championship.

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Source: sport.cz