UPDATE: As of Monday morning, Nicholas Bennett has been selected for Canada’s Paralympic Team.
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A young swimmer from Vancouver Island set a new world record at the Paralympic trials in Toronto Friday.
Nicholas Bennett from Parksville set the record in the men’s 400-metre individual medley in the S14 class. He’s the reigning world champ in the event and smashed the previous world record by more than one-and-a-half seconds.
The S14 class is for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Bennett, now 20, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was three.
Bennett says his accomplishment makes him feel overwhelmingly positive and thanks his sister, who also serves as his coach, for helping him succeed.
Bennett has now met the standard to qualify for the 2024 Canadian Paralympic Games team, which will be officially announced this evening.
