Ievgenii Bogodaiko

A new Ukrainian star has risen on the swimming scene in Ievgenii Bogodaiko.

At only 16, Bogodaiko entered the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, capturing five medals and swimming to one world title in men's S7 and SB6 (breaststroke) events.

Germany’s Sebastian Iwanow, one of Bogodaiko’s main rivals, already predicted that the then-17-year-old would be the one to beat at the 2011 IPC Swimming European Championships in Berlin.

In the end, Bogodaiko exceeded all expectations, becoming the most decorated swimmer of the European Championships with a total of 10 medals, eight them gold.

In the year after winning two Paralympic golds, Bogodaiko went on to add three world titles to his resume in Montreal, Canada and in 2014 left Eindhoven, the Netherlands, with seven European golds.

In 2015, Bohodayko set a new European record in the 50m butterfly S7 setting himself as the man to beat in 2016 at both the European Open Championships and of course, the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

He delivered four European titles six months out from the Paralympics, sending a message to his rivals that he was in top form. That message could not have been received clearer, when in Rio Bogodaiko stormed to three world records in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.