Sean’s joy at news
Picked for the Olympics
An autistic swimmer is out to show the world he is a real life Superman after being selected for the Special Olympics.
Sean Keir will represent the West of Scotland at the 2021 Games in Liverpool and the superhero fanatic is desperate to make a splash on the big stage, with a story worthy of its own comic strip.
Unable to speak until the age of five, Sean went through years of feeling isolated at primary and secondary school, as he grappled with his condition.
He hit rock bottom seven years ago as he struggled to come to terms with the death of his grandfather James in a tragic accident.
But in the face of adversity, he found his purpose, his calling, his superpower: swimming.
Sean, from Calderwood, only took up the sport three years ago and his love of water has seen his family dub him East Kilbride’s very own Aquaman.
However, there’s no mistaking how Sean sees himself when he gets into the pool.
Flexing his left bicep to reveal a Superman shield tattoo, the 26-year-old says: “Sometimes I call myself the Man of Steel.
“I feel like I’m a real life Superman.
“I don’t think people take me seriously, but it’s not a joke to me.
“I like proving to myself that I am a Superman.
“I’m in the water or in the gym every day to prove my strength and prove who I am.
“Superman’s super power is that he can fly, mine is that I can swim.”
The outside world can be Sean’s kyrptonite, but when he’s in the water that’s where he finds his inner strength.
“When I go through my anxiety days, like every other person with Autism, water is the best place on earth for me to wash all that away,” he adds.
“Every day I’m in the pool, I do all the strokes and it’s the best place for me to feel better about myself.
“That’s true superhero work, to keep swimming every day and being someone.
“I like all the Marvel and DC comics. Anything about superheroes keeps me going and makes me want to be someone.
“Making the Special Olympics, it’s like I’m making my very own comic book story of being a superhero.
“It was my dream to go to the Special Olympics and now that dream has come true. “I’m living the dream now.” Sean is supported around the clock by mum Sharon, father Alex and younger brother Nathan, 21.
But one night, Sharon stumbled across a social media post that would change Sean’s life for the better.
She explained: “We were going through a low point and I’d seen a beautiful post from a mum on an autism page, writing about her son and his disabilities and how he’s come through and joined this swimming club.
“When I read it, I felt as if I was reading Sean’s life.
“They were stories that connected with us and I felt compelled to write to the lady and say to her, thank you for sharing your story and can I ask you about how it all began?
“I explained about Sean having this fascination with water and she got back really quickly.
“She was involved with City of Glasgow Sails club and within a week Sean was up there for a time trial and the rest is history.
“With autism, it’s the sensory aspect of being in the water that he likes.
“It’s like a safe space for him and he loves it.
“The support he has had is amazing.
“He also goes to a group call SAIL Autism in Burnbank and they’ve been behind him 100 per cent as well.”
Around 1.5 million people in the UK (two per cent of the population) have an intellectual disability and the Special Olympics will showcase the talent of over 2000 athletes between August 3-8, 2021.
As well as swimming, events also include athletics, boccia, gymnastics and the Motor Activities Training Programme for people with multiple cognitive disabilities.
“It felt amazing to be selected,” said Sean, a former Sanderson High School pupil.
“It’s the happiest place to be, knowing you are going to the Olympics.
“I struggled to sleep before it. I don’t show emotional tears, but I did feel like crying on the inside when I found out.”
Sean is a regular winner on the circuit and he will be going for gold in Liverpool.
But his main mission is to inspire others.
”I’m hoping for a gold medal, but even if it’s silver or bronze, any medal would be great. “Just taking part will be good. “I want to show the whole world how great I am – the real life Superman is here to do his business.
“I know there’s people similar to me out there and it will give them hope and something to believe in.
“They can be whatever athlete they want to be.
“Whatever you want to be in life, find it and go out and do it.
“All those medals I have and all those achievements are amazing, but what I love most is being in the water and feeling the love and joy of that.”
His proud family will cheer him on, of course, when the time comes and it’s fair to say they are super proud of their hero.
”You can imagine going into a swimming pool or a competition, the amount of people and the amount of noise there is, just how challenging that can be for someone with his condition,” says Sharon.
But when he is in the pool, he says that’s when he is ‘home.’
“To represent the West of Scotland and be in that team has blown us away.
“My son is an Olympian and it’s his dream come true. Because he believed, it made us realise you can never say never to anything. “If you feel it, you can do it. “We are going to get Team Superman T-shirts with Sean’s face and Superman logos on it for the Games, that’s for sure.”
I feel like I’m a real life Superman Sean Keir