By Canadian Press

silver linings

Parksville swimmer Nicholas Bennett earns Paralympic silver medal in Paris

Aug 31, 2024 | 9:07 AM

PARIS — Canadian swimmer Nicholas Bennett has won a silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The 21-year-old from Parksville, B.C., was second in men’s 200-metre freestyle to claim the first Paralympic medal of his career.

Britain’s William Ellard set a world record of one minute 51.30 seconds to take gold at La Defense Arena.

Bennett finished in 1:53.61 ahead of bronze medallist Jack Ireland of Australia.

Bennett, who is autistic, races the S14 classification for athletes with an intellectual impairment.

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His sister Haley Bennett is his coach.

Bennett, 20, is coming off a stellar 2023 with gold medals at the world championships in the men’s 200 metre freestyle and the men’s 200 metre individual medley.

He won silver in the 100 metre breaststroke at the same event, to go along with silver medals in the 200 metre freestyle and 200 metre individual medley at the world championships a year prior.

Bennett also won the 200 metre freestyle at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

During the qualification process for the 2024 games, Bennett broke the world record in the 200 metre individual medley.

Bennett, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age three, competes in the S14 classification, indicating an intellectual impairment, which can lead to “difficulties with regards to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time” according to the World Para Swimming organization.

Competition schedule for Bennett (all times approximate and PDT):

• Monday, Sept. 2 (100 metre breaststroke): Heats at 12:30 a.m., final at 8:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 4 (200 metre individual medley): Heats at 12:30 a.m., final at 8:30 a.m.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2024.

The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 7126a71df246c846aa447af9549c93d3957afdd6844d77b8ad45523c2d4ef766.jpg, Caption:

Canadian swimmer Nicholas Bennett has won a silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris. Bennett trains in the competition pool at Arena La Defense prior to the opening of the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, France on August 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO – CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE, Michael P. Hall, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

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