After dirt bike accident left Dieleman paralyzed, he found freedom in the pool
RIO DE JANEIRO — There’s a sense of euphoria Jonathan Dieleman feels when he slides out of his chair and into the cool water of the swimming pool.
“Swimming for me was a way to get out of my wheelchair,” said the 31-year-old member of Canada’s Paralympic team. “When I broke my back six years ago, one of the things I first thought about, just being able to feel free, was getting into the water.”
Dieleman is part of a diverse Canadian swim team at the Rio Paralympics, that ranges in age from 13-year-old Danielle Dorris to 40-year-old Tammy Cunnington — both of whom are making their Paralympic debut.
Aurelie Rivard, who opened her Paralympics with a gold medal and a world record in the S10 50-metre freestyle, and Benoit Huot are expected to lead a team gunning for at least 14 medals in the pool.