Two Surrey para swimmers have been nominated to Team Canada for this summer鈥檚 Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Sebastian Massabie, who swims with the South Surrey-based Pacific Sea Wolves club, and Cloverdale鈥檚 Arianna Hunsicker were nominated alongside 18 other para swimmers after the Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials concluded in Toronto Sunday (May 19).
During the trials, Massabie won the men鈥檚 50 free multiclass final in a Canadian S4 record 38.08, and recorded another national standard later in the evening when he placed second in the 200 free in 3:07.00. The 19-year-old finished the trials with six Canadian records and one S4 world mark, set on opening day in the 50 fly.
鈥淗e was six-for-six best times this week鈥� (he set) six Canadian records and one was a world record,鈥� Pacific Sea Wolves coach Jy Lawrence said Monday (May 20) form Toronto.
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鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of him鈥� I don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 fully sunk in yet. He鈥檚 definitely someone who deserves it 鈥� he has an exceptional work ethic.鈥�
In order to be eligible to compete in the trials, Massabie had to compete at several different levels, including Pan Ams, Worlds and European events, which meant she and the para swimmer had to travel to Indianapolis and then to Portugal to compete 鈥� and complete 鈥� the required competitions in April.
That didn鈥檛 leave them a lot of time to prepare for trials, Lawrence noted, but Massabie, who has cerebral palsy, still swam extremely well.
鈥淗e鈥檚 worked really really hard for this and it shows. The Paralympic trials has been the biggest meet of his life so far that we鈥檝e prepped for鈥� it could鈥檝e been stressful, but no 鈥� he handled the pressure beautifully.鈥�
Hunsicker, 20, was named Swim BC鈥檚 Female Provincial Para Swimmer of the Year in 2020, amid COVID-19 challenges, and started swimming competitively in 2017.
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Born with a partial left hand, Hunsicker won five medals at the 2017 Canada Games and a bronze medal at an international meet in Poland in 2018.
She and Massabie will both be making their Paralympic debut at this year鈥檚 Paris 2024 Paralympian Games, which take place Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 in Paris, France.
Canada鈥檚 Para swimmers are the first athletes to be nominated to the Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team, noted a Canadian Paralympic Committee and Swimming Canada release, with all nominations subject to approval by the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
Canada is expecting to send a team of approximately 140 athletes.
鈥淎 huge congratulations to all 20 swimmers nominated to the Canadian Paralympic Team!鈥� said Karolina Wisniewska, co-chef de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team, in the release.
鈥淭his is such an impressive team of athletes with a bursting resum茅 of Paralympic Games and world championships success, as well as some exciting athletes set to make their Paralympic debuts. We know they are all ready to make their mark in Paris, and can鈥檛 wait to be there to cheer them on at the pool.鈥�
Of the 20 athletes nominated, two others are from B.C.: Parksville鈥檚 Nicholas Bennett, and Burnaby鈥檚 Fernando Lu.
鈥� with files from Tom Zillich
