We’re seeing relay triumphs and record-breaking freestyle sprints as South Africa shines bright in a historic week of swimming in Bangkok.
Bangkok, Thailand (28 August 2025) – The 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships in Bangkok are rewriting the history books at a staggering pace. In just four days, athletes have shattered 41 world records, with 13 of them falling on Day 4 alone. One can just imagine how fierce the competition was in the previous days!
The competition, held at Assumption University, is a celebration of talent, determination, and most importantly, inclusion, bringing together swimmers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism and Down syndrome. Of the records broken so far, 28 have come from the II3 class, where athletes with autism compete. Eight records were set in the II2 class, for athletes with intellectual disabilities and significant additional impairments, while the II1 class has seen five records tumble.
South Africa has proudly joined this wave of achievement, thanks to the sensational form of Minke Janse van Rensburg. The standout swimmer has been unstoppable, breaking multiple Virtus World Records across different events. In the Women’s 200m freestyle, Minke not only claimed South Africa’s first gold medal of the championships but also smashed her own world record in the process.
Her winning streak did not end there. Minke went on to set a new world record in the heats of the Women’s 50m butterfly and later added another in the Women’s 100m freestyle. These performances have firmly placed her among the stars of Bangkok 2025.
Adding to the celebrations, the South African women’s II2 4x100m freestyle relay team delivered a standout performance, racing their way to a brand-new Virtus World Record. The result underlined the strength of South Africa’s squad and the spirit that carried them onto the world stage.
As the championships roll on, the green and gold continues to shine in Thailand, a true testament to the grit and excellence of athletes who are proving that no barrier can stand in the way of greatness.
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