Teen looks to make splash at Down syndrome event
Julia Lane only learned to swim five years ago. Now she’s competing internationally.
The 18-year-old from Windsor will be one of 22 swimmers on Team Canada for the ninth World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships.
Julia will travel to Truro, N.S., on July 19 to compete in seven individual and two team events over the course of a week. This is the first time Canada will host the biennial championships, which will see 25 countries represented by 300 swimmers, all with Down syndrome.
“These games were our opportunity to get the word out there about swimming for people with Down syndrome,” said Cynthia Lane, Julia’s mother. “Until someone told us about it and we happened to look it up, it wasn’t widely known.” Julia swims competitively with the Special Olympics, Westview Freedom Academy and the Windsor Aquatics Club, but her opponents often have the advantage. According to Cynthia, Julia is classified as a para-swimmer with an intellectual disability. The classification fails to consider the physical disabilities someone with Down syndrome can have, like low muscle tone, called hypotonia, and shorter than average limbs. Cynthia said Julia, who is less than five feet tall, often competes against para-swimmers almost six feet tall with intellectual disabilities who have atypical body function.
At the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships, Julia will be on a more level playing field. Cynthia hopes to some day see national and provincial meets for people with Down syndrome. Julia trains with the Windsor Aquatic Club as a para-swimmer six days a week. Cynthia, who coaches Special Olympic swimmers, said she never has to remind Julia to pack her swim bag.
“I just love it,” said Julia. “I love to swim.”
When she was a child, Julia spent a lot of time at swim meets watching her older sister compete. Cynthia said Julia showed no interest in getting in the water back then. In 2013, Cynthia encouraged Julia to take lessons from Jodi Cortese, who once coached Julia’s sister. She learned in a heartbeat. “We started doggie paddling five years ago,” said Cortese. “It’s crazy how quickly she’s progressed, and how easily she picked up the sport.”
Mike McWha, head coach at the Windsor Aquatic Club, coaches Julia for provincial swim meets. He said Julia brings positive energy to the whole team.
“I can see it when one of the swimmers has a bad race,” said McWha. “Julia comes in and it’s like an instant spark plug.” McWha said Julia cheers on all her teammates. When it’s her turn to dive in, she doesn’t hesitate. “She likes to go fast right at the start of the race, which is awesome,” said McWha. “It’s something that is very hard to instil in some swimmers.”
Julia said her coaches “help with my technique and my dive, so that I’m doing better at my meets and going fast.” She added the more she improves, the more she knows she can earn a medal.
Two large pictures of LaSalle’s Olympic gold medallist, Kylie Masse, Julia’s hero, hang in the Windsor Aquatic Centre where Julia practises. Julia hopes to one day be a professional swimmer, too. Masse holds the world record for Julia’s favourite race: the 100-metre backstroke.