By James Crook

151108666May 24 - Ten-time Paralympic gold medallist Daniel Dias looked in perfect shape to defend his eight world titles this summer as he took nearly three seconds off the 100 metres butterfly S5 world record he set at London 2012 on the opening day of the German International in Berlin.

The Brazilian, named as the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability for the second time earlier this year, clocked a time of 1min 17.70sec to take a sizeable chunk off the previous world record time of 1:20.23.

The new time will have to be ratified by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) before standing as an official world record.

The 25-year-old won six gold medals at last summer's Paralympic Games, all in world record time, to add to his career tally of 19 Parapan Games gold medals, 11 World Championship gold medals, along with three silver, and the four gold, four silver and one bronze medal he won at Beijing 2008.

163520067Daniel Dias was voted the Laureus Sportsperson with a Disability earlier this year



With the IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal just under three months away, Dias is looking increasingly likely to display a similar show of dominance to the one he produced at the last World Championships in Eindhoven in 2010, when he took eight gold medals and one silver.

Dias will defend his world titles in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley at Montreal from August 12 until 18.

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