Leslie Captures Silver in 50m Backstroke at World Para Championships

Leslie secured a silver medal in the men’s 50m backstroke S4 at the World Para Championships held in Singapore on March 15, 2024. The defending champion showcased an impressive performance, finishing the final race in a time of 42.54 seconds, marking his fastest swim since 2022.

In the heats, the 35-year-old swimmer qualified easily for the final, recording a time of 43.50 seconds to place second among competitors. His strong start in the final saw him explode off the wall, maintaining a high stroke rate that allowed him to stay competitive early on.

As the race progressed, Leslie battled closely with Roman Zhdanov, who ultimately won the event with a championship-record time of 41.47 seconds. Arnost Petracek from the Czech Republic claimed the bronze medal, finishing in 44.13 seconds.

Reflecting on his performance, Leslie expressed satisfaction with his swim, particularly in the context of his previous experience at the Paris Paralympics. “This year has been all about redemption from Paris,” he stated. “I definitely wasn’t happy with how I did in Paris—particularly in the 50m back, which was my last race there—and I know I’m a better swimmer than what I did there.”

Leslie emphasized the significance of this achievement, noting that it allowed him to move forward and shed some of the disappointment from the past year. “I feel like I’ve redeemed myself in that race and can move forward, and probably let go of a bit of baggage from last year, which is nice,” he added.

This championship marks Leslie’s eighth appearance at the World Para Championships. His performance in the final demonstrated substantial improvement, as he noted the difference in his times from the heats to the final. “I’m really stoked with that outcome. Changing a whole second from heat to final is really good in the 50m back and shows the insights we got from our analysis,” he explained. “We executed what we’ve been doing in training and at the gym.”

With his silver medal secured, Leslie looks poised to build on this momentum as he continues his journey in the world of para swimming.