Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett was named Canada含羞草研究社檚 2023 Male Swimmer of the Year in the Paralympic program.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 quite proud to be receiving this award, and honoured to follow in the footsteps of previous winners, including current national team teammates,含羞草研究社� said Bennett, in a Swimming Canada news release. He also had previously been named the national Breakout Swimmer of the Year award in 2021.
含羞草研究社淚 think it comes down to all the hard work we含羞草研究社檝e been putting into it. All the great coaching and support I含羞草研究社檝e received over the past five years has helped me excel every time I get on the world stage.含羞草研究社�
In just four years of international competition, Bennett has built a resume most swimmers can only dream of putting together over the course of an entire career. He broke onto the world stage at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru, where, at only 15, he captured four medals, three of them gold.
Two years later, as the youngest member of the entire Canadian delegation at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, he set national records in all four events in which he competed, reaching three finals. Then came his Para Swimming World Championships debut at Madeira 2022, where Bennett shone once again with a pair of silver medals.
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Going into his second world championship appearance last summer in Manchester, England, it looked inevitable that Bennett would continue his meteoric rise to stardom. And he did.
The S14 athlete claimed his first career world titles, in the 200-m freestyle and the 200 individual medley, and nearly added a third one in the 100 breaststroke, where he placed second. He lowered his own national standards in both the 200 IM and 100 breast, while also shattering the Americas mark in the latter.
Bennett含羞草研究社檚 two triumphs marked the first time in over two decades, dating back to Mar del Plata 2002, that a Canadian male swimmer won two or more gold medals at the same edition of the para worlds. For his historic performance in Manchester, Bennett is named Swimming Canada含羞草研究社檚 2023 Male Swimmer of the Year 含羞草研究社� Paralympic Program.
Haley Bennett, Nicholas含羞草研究社檚 sister, coached him at the Ravensong Aquatic Club in Qualicum Beach and the pair has now moved to the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club in Alberta. She got to witness his accomplishments first-hand at the last two world championships as a member of the Canadian coaching staff.
含羞草研究社淭he main factor in Nick含羞草研究社檚 success over the last few years is his work ethic,含羞草研究社� she said in a news release. 含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 no one that works harder than he does or gives it their all in the same way he does. He含羞草研究社檚 worked towards this everyday for years and years.含羞草研究社�
When it comes to his exploits in Manchester, the newly crowned world champion said he built on the experience gained the previous year in Portugal.
含羞草研究社淲ith my disability, I find that when I practise things, when I get on the world stage over and over again, it becomes easier for me,含羞草研究社� explained Bennett, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was three. 含羞草研究社淚t makes all the difference in the world. It makes it easier for me to perform at that level.含羞草研究社�
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials, presented by Bell, are set for May 13-19 in Montreal.
