Swimming like 'brushing teeth' for Paralympian

Veteran swimmer John Morgan is the proud winner of 13 Paralympic gold medals and the 63-year-old has a place in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame.

- Kimberly Kwek

While his peers have hung up their swimming trunks and goggles, the competitive spirit of the sexagenarian—who is competing at the July 26-Aug 22 World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore—continues to burn brightly.

The flame was first lit in his childhood—growing up by the ocean in Southern California, swimming was as much about survival as it was about sport.

By eight, he was racing competitively, inspired by local heroes such as Olympic champions Shirley Babashoff of the US and Danish swimmer Greta Andersen.

But a freak accident in his teens almost ended his budding swimming career.

During a workout with stretching bands, the equipment snapped and the metal springs struck him in the eyes, detaching his retinas. The injury eventually led to blindness.

"When that happened, I couldn't swim immediately and actually for two years, I was in surgeries and it was very difficult," said Morgan, who competed in five events at the championships.

"I kind of thought that swimming would no longer be a part of my life, so that was a very difficult thing to accept."

His despondence turned to hope when he discovered that there were blind swimmers, which reignited his ambitions.