Chen and Gladwin Officially Recognised as World Record Holders

Celebrating Ian Chen & Chloe Gladwin’s Newly Ratified Virtus II3 World Records

Ian Chen in action at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships. Photo: Simon Watts / BW Media

Swimming New Zealand has two new world record holders in its midst – Waikato's Ian Chen and Bay of Plenty's Chloe Gladwin.

The duo each broke a brace of Virtus II3 (known domestically as S19) world records at the Apollo Projects New Zealand Swimming Championships last month, with the records now ratified by the global sporting body. Chen broke the 400m individual medley and 200m breaststroke standards. Gladwin lowered the 100m backstroke and 200m butterfly marks. 

Chloe Gladwin in action at the 2025 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships. Photo: Simon Watts / BW Media 

Despite having been club swimmers for a number of years, this season marks the pair's first year as internationally classified II3/S19 swimmers – meaning their form of autism is recognised by Virtus, the global organisation that governs, advocates, organises, and promotes elite sport for athletes with an intellectual impairment. 

Chen, 20, swims out of Hamilton with the St Paul's Swimming Club, while Gladwin, 17, swims with the Whakatane Swimming Club – coached by Graham Smith and Mason Pickering, respectively.

Swimming New Zealand Disability and Para Swimming Participation Manager, Cameron Leslie, says it's something the swimmers will be proud of.

"It's an incredible achievement, not only to break a world record but also to be blazing a trail for others with autism and/or an intellectual impairment. We need role models like these two in the community – promoting top performances, acceptance, and pride in who they are.  "These swimmers have seemingly come from nowhere, when in fact they have been toughing it out in club-land with little acknowledgment of the challenges they face just to do what they do.  "They should be proud of what they've achieved – and what they are doing to lead the performance space for S19/II3 globally."

Leslie added this is a great launching pad for their international debut in Thailand this August. 

"This is an absolute warning sign ahead of the Virtus World Champs in August that Ian and Chloe are in red-hot form. They are swimmers who work hard, apply themselves, and now have a pathway to international representation thanks to the inclusion of their classifications in our national sporting events.  "When we look back two years, we simply did not have swimmers of their quality in this pathway. I can acknowledge this space is one which is growing, and we are becoming one of the leaders in that growth. Having swimmers like Ian and Chloe has meant our domestic swimming competition has more depth than ever.   "The Virtus classifications are growing rapidly, both globally and in New Zealand. We are incredibly proud to say we have some of the fastest swimmers with autism in the world right now."

Last month at the Apollo Projects New Zealand Swimming Championships, Swimming New Zealand had the highest ever number of classified swimmers taking part in its history.