Magnus Batara has been testing his talent international waters as he continues his ascend into a world class Paralympian swimmer.
The 19-year-old from Richmond recently returned from a two-week trip to Vernona, Italy where he participated in a national team training camp and represented Canada at the Global Games - a multi-sport competition for athletes with mental disabilities.
Competing in the S14 para swimming classification, Batara, showed terrific form in the breaststroke, his speciality, helping Canada place fifth in the medley relay.
He didn't have to look far to see a familiar face offering encouraging words from the pool deck. The Canadian team support staff included his club coach Amy Canuel. Batara was also joined on the trip by his training mate Dalton Boon.
"They have both been rising through the ranks of para swimming in Canada and got to the point where they have been placing nationally," explained Canuel. "This trip was to get a little bit of international racing experience against some of the fastest S14 swimmers that are out there in the world."
Although a more realistic goal for Batara would be representing Canada at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Canuel isn't ruling out a trip to London next summer.
Batara recently joined the Winskill Dolphins Swim Club out of Tsawwassen to work with Canuel and have a training partner to push him.
"This is all about what is going to help kids reach their goals and this was the best fit fit for him. Magnus coming here just made sense," said Canuel.
"He is a great breaststroker and on the cusp of being one of the fastest in Canada."
mbooth@richmond-news.com
