Parksville Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett continues to make a strong case for a spot on Team Canada for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, after shattering four world short-course records at the International de Noel meet in Montreal last weekend.
The 16-year-old’s achievement highlighted a strong showing by Canadian Para swimmers, who set a total of nine world records.
In the S14 category, Bennett posted a time of four minutes, 48.47 seconds in the 400-metre individual medley, 2:22.48 in the 200 breaststroke, 1:53.30 in the 200 freestyle and 4:02.96 in the 400 free.
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The member of the Ravensong Breakers Swim Club in Qualicum Beach, who now trains in Montreal, was most proud of his performance in the 200 free, as he was nearly two seconds faster than the 2014 mark set by Jon Margeir Sverrisson of Iceland.
“I honestly didn’t think 1:53 was possible for me in 200 freestyle,” said Bennett.
He also took more than six seconds off the 200 breaststroke mark held by Adam Ismael Wenham of Norway, and became the first Para swimmer to go under the record mark of 5:01.31 set by World Para Swimming.
Bennett was a standout at the 2019 Parapan American Games in October where he took home three gold medals and a silver, and also set a Canadian record in the men’s S14 200 IM with a time of 2:15.66.
— With file from Swimming Canada