Loughborough swimmer edges closer to Tokyo qualification

Loughborough University’s dual student athlete Vladyslava Kravchenko

Loughborough University’s dual student-athlete Vladyslava Kravchenko produced a stunning swim at the British Para-Swimming International Meet to edge closer to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Representing her home country of Malta, Vladyslava clocked 1:14.20 in the 50m S5 butterfly final to put her within the Tokyo Paralympics Games Minimum Entry Time.

Enjoying a successful event in Sheffield, Vladyslava also set a personal best in the 100m S5 freestyle by hitting the wall in 2:42.26. Another strong swim followed as she progressed to the finals in the 50m S5 backstroke with a season-best time of 1:03.37.

Dr Gareth McNarry, Assistant Performance Swimming Coach and Para-Swimming Lead, Loughborough University, said:

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Vlady since the beginning of the season and be a part of her journey towards her second Paralympic Games.

“She has worked tirelessly both in and out of the pool, both for her sport and her academics, and her performances in Sheffield were nothing short of what she deserved based on the work she has done.

“We are now back into training for the final push towards Tokyo, with a focus on fine-tuning the great work that Vlady has already done.”

Vladyslava will now set her sights firmly on Japan, looking to emulate her qualification at the Paralympics Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.