Bennett strikes gold in pool

Breaststroke win in Paris ends 12-year drought for Canada's male swimmers

- DONNA SPENCER

Paralympian Nicholas Bennett, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, won Monday's 100-metre breaststroke S14 final.

PARIS Nicholas Bennett shed “everything” tears during “O Canada” at the Paralympic Games pool on Monday.

The 20-year-old swimmer from Parksville, B.C. won Canada’s first gold medal of the Paris Paralympics in the 100-metre breaststroke.

“It’s a mix of everything,” Bennett said after the medal ceremony at La Défense Arena. “It’s the joy of being able to compete against the best athletes in the world and be the best out of them. Also the relief of finally showing the world I’m here and one of them, one of the best.”

Bennett is the first Canadian man to win Paralympic gold in swimming since Benoît Huot in 2012 in London.

“Heavy” was Bennett’s assessment of his prize. “Man, it’s a beautiful piece of history with me.”