Vancouver Island Paralympian Nicholas Bennett has been named as Swimming Canada’s male Para Athlete of the Year.
Bennett won two golds in this year’s Paralympic Games, coming in first in the S14 100-metre breast stroke as well as first in the 200-metre individual medley, where he set a Paralympic record. He also took silver in the 200-metre freestyle.
Bennett, who is from Parksville, was the only Canadian Para swimmer to win two gold medals in Paris. He was also named one of Canada’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony.
“You always dream about those kinds of moments, but you never really expect them to come,” says Bennett, 21. “Every time I look in the mirror, I just see myself. It’s kind of weird sometimes to think that those monumental accomplishments happened. I still have a hard time believing it.”
Bennett was the first Canadian male swimmer to win a Paralympic title since 2012, the first to capture multiple gold medals at a single Games since 2004, and the first to reach the podium three times since 2012.
