FERGUS – Local para swimmer Austin Nelissen has been on a record-breaking roll over the past year and a half.
He has broken six records in backstroke and freestyle short- and long-course swimming – two alone were logged on his 14th birthday in Quebec, on Aug. 9.
At the Speedo Canadian Swimming Championships in Sherbrooke this past August, Austin supported all six feet of himself on the starting block with a steadying hand from coach Sam Kuntz.
His bodily limitations on dry ground all but washed away as he cut through the water to clock a finish just short of four minutes and 43 seconds.
But that wasn’t enough for Austin, and after pointers from his coach – better positioning, a faster turnaround off the wall, steady breathing – he shaved off more than three seconds for a first-place finish and new provincial record of four minutes and 39.29 seconds in the 400-metre freestyle swim. The previous record was four minutes and 44 seconds, set in 2023.
“I love pushing myself; it’s really good for my body,” Austin said after finishing a long-distance practice recently.
Despite living in Fergus and attending Centre Wellington District High School, Austin has found a home with the Orangeville Otters.
He swims every weeknight with the team, finishing a fourth-period high school math class online so he can get to the pool.
Only five years ago, Austin was in a wheelchair, unable to walk independently because of a neurological condition affecting his ability to coordinate movements and keep balance. Attempts at other sports like baseball and hockey didn’t work out.
His parents, Ashley and Andrew Nelissen, a competitive swimmer and baseball player respectively, were at an impasse when they dropped their nine-year-old son off at a pool hoping for the best.
They’ve since watched Austin’s independence and mobility improve – to the point where he’s no longer in a wheelchair.
“It’s been life changing for our family to see how sport can improve quality of life,” Ashley said.
Swimming still comes with challenges. Austin struggles to build muscle, which makes it hard for him to control his body in the water. But he holds his own, pushing for ever-faster times alongside his able-bodied peers.
“Just because a kid is deemed different or having extra challenges shouldn’t keep them from sport,” Ashley said.
Swim Ontario has selected Austin to swim for the organization at provincial competitions, and he’s on his way to swimming at a level allowing for international competitions – perhaps the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
“I think I can, and will,” he said of making it to the world stage.
Meanwhile, Austin will be busy defending the growing list of records he’s worked hard to earn.
“It means a lot to say: ‘I have the fastest time,’” he said.
