Thirteen swimmers nominated to Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games team

OTTAWA/TORONTO – The first athletes have been nominated to this summer’s Lima 2019 Parapan American Games team following the conclusion of the Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto this weekend. 

Thirteen athletes have been submitted by Swimming Canada for selection to the team, with competition taking place in Lima, Peru between August 23 and September 1. The swimmers selected to participate at the Parapan Am Games is a developmental team, most from Swimming Canada’s NextGen program, who will be experiencing their first Games situation. For many, it will be the first step towards competing at the 2020 or 2024 Paralympic Games. 

Swimming Canada also announced the athletes selected to compete in the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, set for later this year. The world championships are the most significant event in the sport outside of the Paralympic Games. CLICK HERE for the world championships roster.

“Congratulations to the athletes selected to represent Canada this summer,” said Catherine Gosselin-Després, executive director of sport, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “Canada is home to many talented Para swimmers, and the Parapan Am Games will be a fantastic opportunity for many of our young athletes to gain important international experience in a big multi-sport Games environment. There definitely will be some strong performances from these athletes in Lima, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Canadian team this summer. 

“We also wish all the best to the athletes selected to the world championships team, who will be competing among the top swimmers in the world. This will be an excellent test and preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games one year from now.”

The team will be led in Lima by head coach Michel Berube. 

“It’s very exciting. We have so much time from now until the Games to prepare these athletes,” said Berube, Swimming Canada’s NextGen & Pathways coach, Para swimming. “This year I’ll be going around the country doing club visits, working with the coaches and preparing these swimmers, so it’s a very exciting moment.”

Berube expects the team will do well in Lima.

“I would say the next generation of swimmers will be very successful,” he said. “It’s a matter of making sure these swimmers will grow and I’m very confident they will.”

LIMA 2019 PARAPAN AM GAMES SWIMMING TEAM 

The Lima 2019 Parapan American Games will take place August 23 to September 1 in Peru and will take over Toronto 2015 as the largest Parapan Am Games ever with a record 1,850 athletes set to participate. Canada is expecting to send a team of approximately 144 athletes in 13 sports. The Canadian Paralympic Committee will announce the official full team heading to the Games later this year.