Van Wijk proves para prowess in pool
Para swimmer Hannah van Wijk is not letting anything get in the way of her journey towards Paralympic success, not even herself.
During the recent Swimming Wellington Long Course Summer Championships the 18-year-old shaved eight seconds off the existing 200 metre backstroke record, which she set last year.
Swimmers with an intellectual disability swim under an S14 classification, a function-based rating designed to allow for fair competition in disability swimming.
Van Wijk, who swims for the Dannevirke Amateur Swimming Club, began swimming competitively at age seven in her hometown of Masterton where she quickly became interested in swimming as a career.
‘‘It’s a sport she can do without getting hurt and it just so happens she’s very, very good at it,’’ van Wijk’s coach, Lin Tozer, says.
In addition to setting records, van Wijk also placed third in the 50m backstroke event, up against swimmers who had no disabilities.
‘‘I go into it [each event] wanting to go hard out, get a personal best and absolutely try for a medal.’’
The three-day Wellington meet has been a busy one for van Wijk, who competes in seven backstroke and freestyle events.
‘‘I’m stronger in backstroke and I like the shorter distances.’’
Tozer says: ‘‘The funny thing is that she is very good at the longer ones because she’s fit as an ox.’’
During a Sunday evening event, van Wijk swam the 400m freestyle in a time of 6:35:62, a huge feat for the young swimmer.
‘‘Not only was it the first time it had been swum, Hannah also claimed the record,’’ Tozer says.
‘‘This is not a para meet, so for her to be setting records and winning medals in the 18 and over age group is just fantastic.’’
Fellow para swimmers Sophie Pascoe and Tupou Neiufi are van Wijk’s favourite swimmers. Each year, during an Auckland event, she gets to swim alongside them as part of a para team.
Van Wijk came into the competition aiming to qualify for the national competition in July but her dream is to ultimately be selected for the 2020 Paralympics Games, in Tokyo.
However, to make her dream a reality, there’s plenty more swimming to be done with van Wijk’s next big event on February 3.