Strong Start for Team South Africa at World Para Swimming Championships

Singapore – 22 September 2025
South Africa made a powerful statement on the opening two days of the World Para Swimming Championships at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore, highlighted by a silver medal on Day 1 and two more finalists confirmed for tonight’s action.

Day 1: Sadie Strikes Silver in IM Thriller

Christian Sadie was the standout on the opening day as he powered to silver in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM7 Final. The 27-year-old touched the wall in 2:34.03, narrowly behind Argentina’s Inaki Basiloff, who claimed gold in 2:30.65.

In the Men’s 100m Butterfly S13, Nathan Hendricks showed his competitive edge by reaching the final and finishing 7th overall in 58.67 seconds, building on a strong morning swim where he clocked 58.46 in his heat.

On the women’s side, Alani Ferreira opened her campaign in the 100m Butterfly S13, finishing 5th in her heat with 1:21.20. While it wasn’t enough for a final spot, it provided valuable race exposure ahead of her main breaststroke event.

Strong Start for Team South Africa at World Para Swimming Championships — SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 21: (L-R) Silver medalist Christian Sadie of Team South Africa, gold medalist Inaki Basiloff of Team Argentina and bronze medalist Aleksei Ganiuk of Team Neutral Paralympic Athletes pose for photos during the medal ceremony for the Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM7 during day one of the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships at OCBC Aquatic Centre on September 21, 2025 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Day 2 Morning Session: Vyncke and Ferreira Progress to Tonight’s Final

South Africa’s momentum continued into Day 2 this morning as both Danika Vyncke and Alani Ferreira secured their places in tonight’s Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB13 Final.

Danika Vyncke swam a composed race in Heat 2, clocking 38.51 seconds to place 4th in her heat and advance.
Alani Ferreira, returning for her second event, finished 4th in Heat 1 in 39.56 seconds, also qualifying safely for the final.

Their progression means South Africa will have two swimmers on the starting blocks in a world championship final, a significant achievement in one of the most competitive classifications.

What’s Next

With Sadie already on the medal table and both Ferreira and Vyncke lined up for tonight’s SB13 breaststroke final, Team South Africa has every reason to be optimistic.

At a Glance – Team SA Highlights So Far

Silver Medal – Christian Sadie, Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM7
Finalist – Nathan Hendricks, 100m Butterfly S13 (7th)
Tonight’s Finalists – Danika Vyncke & Alani Ferreira, 100m Breaststroke SB13

South Africa has already signaled its intent in Singapore, and with a strong first two days, the team is setting the stage for an exciting week of racing at the World Para Swimming Championships.

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