Nicholas Bennett sets Para-swimming world record in 200m freestyle S14 event

Para-swimmer Nicholas Bennett, one of Canada's up-and-coming stars, continued his banner season Sunday at the FINA World Cup in Toronto.

The 18-year-old from Parksville, B.C., lowered the world record — pending ratification — in the men's 200-metre freestyle S14 to one minute 51.40 seconds. Australia's Jack Ireland held the previous short course mark of 1:52.49 since Aug. 24.

In June, Bennett clocked 1:54.41 — a Canadian record — in a silver-medal performance at the Para-swimming world championships in Madeira, Portugal.

Two months later, he posted a Commonwealth Games record of 1:54.97 to claim gold in the men's 200 freestyle S14 in Birmingham, England.

WATCH l Bennett wins Commonwealth gold medal in record time:

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, postponed one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bennett set the national mark in all four of his events, reaching the final in 100-metre breaststroke (fifth), 200 freestyle (sixth) and 200 individual medley (seventh) at his Summer Games debut.

At 17, Bennett was the youngest member of the entire Canadian delegation in Japan.

Later in 2021, the 2019 Parapan Am Games triple gold medallist was named Swimming Canada's breakout performer of the year.

At age 3, Bennett was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.