Russian Paralympic Committee swimmer Roman Zhdanov is the Paralympic champion in the men’s 50 metres breaststroke SB3, men’s 150m individual medley SM4 and men's 50m backstroke S4, setting new worlds record en-route to all three of his gold medals at Tokyo 2020.

Zhdanov smashed the previous record set by Italy’s Efrem Morelli in the 50m SB3 breaststroke by exactly one second, completing the final in 46.49sec.

Spain’s Miguel Luque was 2.59 further back in second as Zhdanov, who was born in Gorno-Altaysk and is now based in nearby Biysk, cruised to victory.

The Para swimmer has cerebral palsy, and this was his first Paralympic medal.

The second followed shortly afterwards in the 150m SM4 individual medley.

In the final, Zhdanov beat his own world record by more than a second, finishing the race in 2min 21.17sec.

Israel’s Ami Omer Dadaon was more than eight seconds back in the silver medal position.

He then won his third gold medal in the 50m backstroke S4, setting his third world record of the Games.

Zhdanov powered clear of the Czech Republic's Arnošt Petráček to win in 40.99, breaking his old world record by over half a second.

Roman Zhdanov, centre, also won three gold medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in London in 2019 ©Getty Images
Roman Zhdanov, centre, also won three gold medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in London in 2019 ©Getty Images

He also secured a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle S4 at what has been a wonderful Tokyo 2020.

The 23-year-old was the reigning European champion in his two gold medal events, and he also triumphed in the 50m backstroke S4 in Funchal in Portugal in the delayed European Championships held in May this year.

He added silvers in the 100m and 200m freestyle S4, and a bronze in the 50m freestyle S4 at the championships.

At the World Para Swimming Championships, Zhdanov has won five golds.

Three of those came at London in the 100m and 200m freestyle S4 and 150m individual medley SM4, having also won the latter title at Glasgow 2015 alongside a triumph in the 50m backstroke S4.

At London 2019, Zhdanov earned bronze from a race in which Morelli set a world record, which stood until it was broken by Zhdanov at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Zhdanov has finished on the podium 12 times at the World Championships, winning two silvers at Glasgow 2015, four bronze medals at London 2019 and one from four years earlier, to go with his five gold medals at the Worlds.

Having made his international debut at the European Championships in Eindhoven in the Netherlands in 2014, Zhdanov also received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation in 2017.