Kamloops native Patrick Waters earned a silver medal at the 2019 Para Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru in August (Image Credit: Canadian Paralympic Committee)

By Chad Klassen

PATRICK WATERS

Kamloops swimmer earns gold as he gears up for 2020 Paralympic trials

Dec 9, 2019 | 2:49 PM

KAMLOOPS — Patrick Waters keeps getting faster as he pushes towards a spot on the Canadian Paralympic Swimming Team for next year’s Tokyo Games.

The Kamloops native earned a gold medal with a time of 1:14.55 in the 100-metre breaststroke at this weekend’s 2019 U.S. Paralympic Swimming Nationals, an event that is open to all para swimmers who are looking for more competition.

It’s his best time since the 2016 Canadian Paralympic Swimming Trials when Waters narrowly missed out on a spot on the team.

“It gives me confidence knowing the work that we’ve done the last five weeks has been good,” said Waters. “I had some good performances this summer, but we wanted to keep the momentum going.”

Waters is a former national level able-bodied swimmer who switched to para swimming following a surgery in 2012 needed to correct his hip sockets due to hip dysplasia.

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In April, he won a bronze in the 100-metre breaststroke to qualify him for the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. There, he won silver medal with a time of 1:14.77

Waters is now setting his sights on the 2020 Canadian Paralympic Swimming Trials as he tries to earn a spot on the team.

“It’s a bit of a stretch [to make the team],” said Waters. “We know the men’s team is going to be a small team based on Team Canada’s postings and results over the last year. We’ve only had about eight guys in the top 15 in the world, so we think there’s going to be six slots available.”

Waters is back in his home pool this weekend in Kamloops for the MJB Law Classic.