Diogo Ribeiro won the world junior swimming title in the 50-meter butterfly on Saturday in Lima, with a world record in the level, adding this achievement to the gold medals in the 50 free and 100 butterfly. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and António Costa have already congratulated the athlete for the achievements of the last few days.

The 17-year-old swimmer from Benfica won the competition in 22.96 seconds, improving by nine hundredths the junior world record, held by the Russian Andrei Minakov (23.05), since October 2020, also taking by 11 hundredths the national record, which already belonged to him

Diogo Ribeiro easily won the final, leaving Czech Daniel Gracik in second place, half a second (23.46), and Danish Casper Puggaard, third, one second (23.96), after losing in the media final of the 100-meter freestyle, for which he had qualified with the best qualifying time, ahead of the absolute world record holder, the Romanian David Popovici.

After winning his third world title, Diogo Ribeiro, visibly moved, thanked those who supported him, specifically in the Peruvian pool.

It has been a very difficult year, very tense”, said the Portuguese swimmer, who promised to “get used to this rhythm of victories”.

The 17-year-old Benfica swimmer, coached by Alberto Silva, had already won the junior world titles in the 50 free and 100 butterfly in the Peruvian capital.

Holder of the national records of the 100 free meters (48.52 seconds) and 100 (51.61) and 50 (22.96) butterfly, distance in which he won the bronze medal in the last absolute Europeans, in Rome.

Marcelo and Costa congratulate swimmer

In a note on the website of the Presidency of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa congratulated the young Portuguese. “The President of the Republic congratulates swimmer Diogo Ribeiro who won the title of world youth swimming champion in the 50-meter butterfly in Lima, Peru,” the statement read.

The Prime Minister, António Costa, also congratulated Diogo Ribeiro for winning three gold medals at the world junior swimming championship in Lima, Peru, in what he considered “a pride for the national sport.”

“Congratulations Diogo Ribeiro! Three gold medals and a world record in the Swimming Juniors, which take place in Lima. A pride for the national sport”, wrote the head of Government on the social network Twitter.

Congratulations Diogo Ribeiro! Three gold medals and a world record in the Swimming Juniors, which take place in Lima. A pride for the national sport.

– Antonio Costa (@antoniocostapm) September 4, 2022