SINGAPORE — Canada’s Nicholas Bennett and Arianna Hunsicker both reached the podium with bronze medals at the world para swimming championships on Sunday.

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.”

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.

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.

“It’s so surreal,” the 22-year-old said. “Even though I knew there was maybe a shot at a medal, 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 world championships run until Sept. 27.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2025.