Para swimmers Shelby Newkirk, Nicholas Bennett win Canada’s 1st gold medals at worlds | CBC Sports
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A pair of Canadians wasted little time gaining notice at the Para swimming world championships, winning gold medals on the opening day of competition in Manchester, England on Monday.
Shelby Newkirk of Saskatoon topped the women’s field of eight in the 100-metre backstroke S6 event. She clocked one minute 20.62 seconds for her second straight world title and lowered her 1:20.96 championship record from a year ago.
Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C., touched the wall 4-100ths of a second quicker than Great Britain’s William Ellard to take the men’s 200 freestyle S14 for his first career world gold. Bennett’s time was 1:54.75 compared to 1:54.79 for Ellard.
Newkirk prepared for worlds winning three gold and bronze at a Winnipeg competition in early July.
WATCH | Newkirk boasts back-to-back backstroke world titles:
Reigning Para world champion Shelby Newkirk of Saskatoon, Sask., won the women’s 100-metre backstroke SG event at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, England.
“It’s amazing to defend this [world] title,” the 27-year-old, who qualified fourth for Monday’s final, said in a Twitter post. “I knew I was going to have to fight for it. After the turn [with 50 metres left] I tried to go for it.
“I knew I was happy with the time … with the swim. At the same time, I couldn’t see the [scoreboard]. I noticed Mike Thompson, our head coach, having a happy dance so I figured I must have done well.”
China’s Yuyan Jiang captured silver (1:21.18) and Anna Hontar bronze (1:22.34).
Newkirk trains up to 13 times a week on land and in the water and recently told Saskatoon radio station AM 650 CKOM she runs two businesses — Crafty Prairie Girl and Accessible Life — while coaching with the Saskatoon Lasers Swim Club.
A 2002 Paralympian, Newkirk has her sights on competing next summer at the Summer Games in Paris.
Shortly after she began swimming in 2012, Newkirk developed generalized dystonia, a progressive neurological disorder like Parkinson’s that affects movement, balance and coordination.
Meanwhile the 19-year-old Bennett, competing against seven other men at the Manchester Aquatic Centre, fell shy of his 1:51.40 world record — pending ratification — set last October at the FINA World Cup in Toronto.
WATCH | Bennett edges Ellard at finish line of 200m freestyle S14:
Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C. won his first-career Para world championship gold medal, claiming victory in the men’s 200m freestyle S14 event at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, England.
Australia’s Jack Ireland, who held the previous short course (25-metre) mark of 1:52.49, was third in Monday’s race in 1:55.38.
In June 2022, Bennett clocked a Canadian record 1:54.41 in a silver-medal performance at worlds in Madeira, Portugal.
He later posted a Commonwealth Games mark of 1:54.97 to claim gold in Birmingham, England.
WATCH l Bennett wins 2022 Commonwealth gold medal in record time:
Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C., posted a Commonwealth record in the men’s 200-metre freestyle S14 with a time of one minute 54.97 seconds to claim gold.
In his 2020 Paralympic debut, Bennett set the national mark in all four of his events in Tokyo, reaching the final in 100 breaststroke (fifth), 200 free (sixth) and 200 individual medley (seventh).
He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 3.
In April, eight athletes were added to Canada’s team, joining 13 who previously qualified with their performances at the national swimming trials in Toronto.
Canada enjoyed its best performance since 2010 at worlds last year when it reached 18 podiums, including six gold.
Watch live coverage from Manchester through Aug. 6 on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.
Team Canada
- Nicholas Bennett (Parksville, B.C.)
- Danielle Dorris (Moncton, N.B.)
- Alexander Elliot (Kitchener, Ont.)
- Nikita Ens (Saskatoon)
- James Leroux (Repentigny, Que.)
- Aurélie Rivard (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.)
- Tess Routliffe (Caledon, Ont.)
- Katarina Roxon (Kippens, N.L.)
- Abi Tripp (Kingston, Ont.)
- Nicolas-Guy Turbide (Quebec City)
- Philippe Vachon (Blainville, Que.)
- Aly Van Wyck-Smart (Toronto)
- Katie Cosgriffe (Burlington, Ont.)
- Sabrina Duchesne (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.)
- Arianna Hunsicker (Surrey, B.C.)
- Angela Marina (Cambridge, Ont.)
- Clémence Paré (Boucherville, Que.)
- Jessica Tinney (Scarborough, Ont.)
- Jordan Tucker (Guelph, Ont.)
- Zach Zona (Simcoe, Ont.)
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