B.C.’s Bennett, Hunsicker Capture Bronze at Para Swimming Worlds

BREAKING: British Columbia’s Nicholas Bennett and Arianna Hunsicker have both secured bronze medals at the world para swimming championships on September 21, 2025. This remarkable achievement marks a significant moment for Canadian para swimming as both competitors reached the podium in their respective events.

In the men’s 200-metre freestyle S14, Bennett, a 21-year-old from Parksville, finished with a time of 1:53.97, just 36 hundredths of a second shy of his own national record set during the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Bennett claimed bronze behind Great Britain’s William Ellard, who set a new world record at 1:51.08, and Brazil’s Gabriel Bandeira at 1:52.03.

Bennett expressed his feelings after the race:

“This year is really about setting up the whole Paralympic Games quad so I’m quite happy with that start. I honestly can’t be disappointed,”

adding that the competitive rivalry inspires him to improve daily. With this podium finish, Bennett becomes only the second Canadian male para swimmer to medal in the same event at three consecutive world championships.

Meanwhile, Hunsicker, representing Surrey, achieved her bronze in the women’s 50-metre freestyle S10 final, clocking in at 28.59 seconds. She finished behind Turkey’s Defne Kurt, who set a championships record of 27.21, and Italy’s Alessia Scortechini at 27.91. This medal marks a significant milestone for Hunsicker, who has competed at the world championships three times before.

Hunsicker shared her emotional reaction:

“It’s so surreal… I saw the three on the board and I thought, ‘That’s not real. That can’t be real.’ It’s really overwhelming. It might be the happiest I’ve ever been.”

The ongoing world championships are set to conclude on September 27, 2025, with more events and potential medals at stake for both Bennett and Hunsicker. Fans and supporters are eager to see what these talented athletes will achieve next in their quest for glory on the international stage.

Stay tuned for further updates as the competitions unfold!