Sask.'s top para-swimmers excited for pools to reopen

While the reopening of two Saskatoon outdoor pools this week will provide a great chance to beat the heat, some of Canada's top para-swimmers crave the water for more than just its refreshing nature.

At the age of 17, Samantha Ryan competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing fifth in Canadian record time in the 100-metre butterfly final.

Almost four years later, the now 21-year-old is stuck on dry land because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"At first it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was going on," said Ryan.

"It happened really quickly and, you know, in a span of three days we were told that the pools were shut down. Training was postponed until further notice."

Ryan, who studies at McGill University in Montreal, returned to her home town Saskatoon. She said the last time she was training in a pool was mid-March.

"Having a bit of a break was almost nice," said Ryan.

"As high performance athletes, having absolutely nothing to do is a rare thing. But, I don't know, that got old pretty quickly and I started craving the pool.... Getting back in the gym has been great, but not being able to swim has definitely been quite challenging."

Tempted to jump into a fountain instead

Ryan, who has a condition known as drop foot, is not the only para-athlete in Saskatoon who is excited to get back in the water.

"I couldn't imagine that the pool would be one of those things to shut down because it's something I have relied on for so many years," said Shelby Newkirk who trains with the Saskatoon Lasers Swim Club.

"We have a little fountain in our backyard, and I have been debating jumping in there just because I crave the water so much. And every time I go by a house with a sprinkler, I'm always tempted to jump in there."

Newkirk won her first World Para Swimming Championship medal last year, claiming silver in the 100-metre backstroke. It's not just the competitive side the 24-year-old has been missing.

"Swimming is just so therapeutic for me," said Newkirk.

"It's where I work through everything. It's where I work through emotions. When I'm stressed out, the first thing I want to do is swim. With everything going on in the world, I have definitely been stressed out and I have just been craving the water so much."

She and her teammate Nikita Ens had to find other ways to stay fit.

"I have a stationary arm bike in my living room," said Ens.

"It's nice to … change things up and do exercise on dry land, activate different muscles. But, oh, I miss the water."

Ens is originally from Meadow Lake. The 31-year-old said she became a para-swimmer three years ago, setting several Canadian records in the S2 classification last year. Prior to a 2014 car crash which left her partially paralyzed, Ens cycled across Canada in 32 days.

She and Newkirk hope to be back in the water this week.

Paralympics postponed

Swimming at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo was the big goal for all three athletes until the International Paralympic Committee postponed the Games. They are now set to take place from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5, 2021.

"I find it hard to look ahead and picture myself in a year, just having this much time out of the pool," said Ryan. "It has definitely been difficult and so getting back into things I'm pretty nervous. But, I don't know, everybody is in the exact same boat."

While Ryan and Ens still need to officially qualify for next year's Paralympics during the Canadian trials in April 2021, Newkirk has already been nominated for the team due to her success at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships.

She said it wasn't easy accepting the postponement of the Games. "There were a lot of emotions I was dealing with during then."

The para-athlete started swimming in 2012 after being diagnosed with generalized dystonia at the age of 13, a condition which could affect her performance at next year's Paralympic Games.

"My dystonia does progress and I do see changes all the time," said Newkirk.

"Something that I'm able to do one day, the next day might be more of a challenge.... For now all I can really do is take care of myself.… I'll definitely do my best to be in Tokyo at the best shape that I can be."