Canadians Nicholas Bennett, Arianna Hunsicker earn bronze medals at Para swimming worlds

Canada's Nicholas Bennett and Arianna Hunsicker both reached the podium with bronze medals at the Para swimming world championships on Sunday in Singapore.

Bennett of Parksville, B.C., claimed bronze in the men's 200-metre freestyle S14 midway through opening night. The 21-year-old, who entered as the defending world champion, touched the wall in one minute 53.97 seconds, just 36 hundredths of a second off his national record set at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

He placed behind Great Britain's William Ellard (1:51.08), who set a world record, and Brazil's Gabriel Bandeira (1:52.03).

"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," he said.

"This kind of rivalry is something I look forward to every time I jump in the pool to train," Bennett added. "It's great to have guys like that who push me to try and get better every day."

Nicholas Bennett wins Canada's 1st medal at the World Para Swimming Championships

Bennett became only the second Canadian male Para swimmer in history to reach the podium in the same event at three straight world championships. Benoit Huot made the podium in the 200 individual medley SM10 at five consecutive worlds from 2002 to 2015.

Watch live coverage of every race in Singapore on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, with competition resuming Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. The live streaming schedule is available here.

Hunsicker, from Surrey, B.C., earned bronze in the last final of the day, the women's 50 free S10. She finished in 28.59 seconds, behind Defne Kurt of Turkey, who set a championships record of 27.21, and Italy's Alessia Scortechini (27.91).

It was her first medal in third worlds appearances.

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