Para swimming dominates 2026 Laureus nominations with three athletes

For the second consecutive yr, Para swimming has dominated the nominations for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award, with three of the six shortlisted athletes coming from the game: Czechia’s David Kratochvil, Brazil’s Gabriel Araujo and Italy’s Simone Barlaam.

Kratochvil and Araujo are first-time nominees, whereas Barlaam returns to the listing after being shortlisted in 2024.

The Laureus World Sports Academy introduced the six candidates on Tuesday, 3 March. The winners might be revealed on the awards ceremony in Madrid, Spain on 20 April.

The different shortlisted athletes are Para athletics world champions Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) and Kiara Rodriguez (Ecuador), and Para ice hockey participant Kelsey DiClaudio (USA).

Last yr, China’s Yuyan Jiang received the World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award, whereas Spain’s Teresa Perales was additionally among the many finalists.

The 2025 award marked the fifth time a Para swimmer claimed the honour, following Brazil’s Daniel Dias (2009, 2013, 2016) and South Africa’s Natalie du Toit (2010).

This yr’s nominations spotlight the standout performances of Kratochvil, Araujo and Barlaam on the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore.

✨ The distinctive athletes nominated for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award 2026 are:

✨ Gabriel Araújo
✨ Simone Barlaam
✨ Catherine Debrunner
✨ Kelsey DiClaudio
✨ David Kratochvíl
✨ Kiara Rodríguez#Laureus26 pic.twitter.com/MSHetSfWhz

— Laureus (@LaureusSport) March 3, 2026

The Laureus announcement notes Barlaam’s 4 gold medals at Singapore 2025, “taking his career total to an incredible 23 world titles.” The Italian S9 swimmer received the lads’s 100m butterfly and the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle. Born with a congenital leg impairment, he underwent 13 operations throughout childhood earlier than taking over Para swimming at age 15.

After successful three golds on the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Araujo repeated the feat on the 2025 World Championships with victories within the males’s 50m and 100m backstroke and the 200m freestyle (S2). The 23-year-old from Santa Luzia additionally improved his personal SM2 world document within the 150m particular person medley whereas competing within the SM3 last, in accordance with the announcement.

As for Kratochvil, the Laureus Awards highlighted his exceptional efficiency in Singapore, the place the 17-year-old medalled in each occasion he entered. He left the championships with 4 golds, one silver, two bronzes and a world document within the S11 400m freestyle – breaking a mark that had stood for 33 years. He can also be world champion within the 50m and 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly. After successful 400m freestyle gold at Paris 2024 and the 2023 World Championships, Singapore marked his first multi-gold efficiency at a serious occasion.

More details about the Laureus Awards is on the market here.