World Record on Day 2 Heats World Para Champs

Ben Hance has done it again.

Hance (pictured) broke his own world record in the heats of Day 2 of the 2025 Singapore World Para Swimming Championships with a sizzling 55.99 in the men’s 100m backstroke S14.

A consistent world-record breaker, Hance revealed there was more to come ahead of tonight’s final which will also feature rookie Declan Budd (1:01.32).

Training under Ash Delaney at St Andrew’s on the Sunshine Coast, Hance had broken the world record at the Paris Paralympic Games – which he dedicated to his late father – and then went on to become the first man to successfully defend the 100m backstroke S14 Paralympic title.

In June, Hance had set a new world-best time of 56.35 during the heats at the Australian Trials and admitted he was ‘holding back a bit’ ahead of this week’s world championships.

When asked what tonight would bring, the answer was succinct: “Faster than that, absolutely.”

Tune in tonight from 9:45pm AEST to watch Hance in the men’s 100m backstroke S14 final.

Day 2 Finals – starts 5:30pm local (SGT) / 7:30pm AEST

• 7:50pm AEST – Men’s 150m Individual Medley SM3: Ahmed Kelly, Grant ‘Scooter’ Patterson
• 8:26 PM AEST – Women’s 400m Freestyle S7: Chloe Osborn
• 8:46 PM AEST – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM10: Col Pearse, Alex Saffy
• 9:02 PM AEST – Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10: Poppy Wilson
• 9:47 PM AEST – Men’s 100m Backstroke S14: Ben Hance, Declan Budd
• 10:21 PM AEST – Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM9: Tim Hodge

The 2025 World Para Swimming Championships from 21-27 September will be available to watch in Australia via Paralympics YouTube live stream. Heats start 9am, finals from 5.30pm local time.

Understanding Para Swimming Classifications:

1.      Physical Impairment (S1-10 / SB1-9 / SM1-10)

2.      Visual Impairment (S11-S13 / SB11-SB13 / SM11-SM13)

3.      Intellectual Impairment (S14 / SB14 / SM14)

S = Freestyle/Backstroke/Butterfly, SB = Breaststroke, SM = Individual Medley.

Note: The lower the number in both physical and visually impaired groups, the greater degree of impairment.