Parksville's Nicholas Bennett will be one of the 19 athletes to represent Canada at the World Para Swimming Championships Sept. 21 to Sept. 27 in Singapore.
The former Qualicum Beach Ravensong Breakers and 2024 Paralympic medallist, was selected based on his performance at the six-day Bell Canadian Swimming Trials held recently at Saanich Commonwealth Place.
Bennett, an S14 swimmer who trains with the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club, won three individual events during the trials plus broke his own Canadian record in the 100-metre butterfly. Competing at his second Paralympics in Paris, Bennett won gold in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley plus silver in the 200 freestyle. He currently holds the world record in the 200 IM.
“Competing at the international level is great,” said Bennett in a Swimming Canada interview. “We will just try to see what we can do after a Paralympic year. I have five months to train, so it’s exciting. When we get a little bit more endurance under our belt, we’ll be able to challenge my world record.”
When Bennett heads to Singapore, his older sister Hayley Bennett-Osborne will be there as well as a member of the Canadian coaching team. Bennett-Osborne has been her brother in Alberta.
