More than 300 athletes from over 30 countries will compete in the 6th Deaf World Swimming Championships from 13-19 August 2023 at the Olympic Swimming Complex – Parque Roca, Buenos Aires.
7 swimmers from across Australia have been selected to compete for Deaf Swimming Australia at these Championships. Congratulations to the following Victorians who have been selected.
- Imogen Nolan (Surrey Park, coached by Justin Bell)
- Dylan Logan (Melbourne Swimming Club, coached by Mark McGrann)
- James Logan (Melbourne Swimming Club, coached by Mark McGrann)
- Nicholas Layton (Western Melbourne Propulsion, coached by Kenrick Monk)
These swimmers recently competed at Australian Age and Open Championships on the Gold Coast and collectively brought home 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze medals. Between them they have broken 48 Australian S15 Records in the past 4 years!
15 year old, Imogen Nolan is the youngest competitor on the team. Her swimming journey started when she commenced a learn to swim program where her swim teacher was a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Her teacher used Auslan (Australian Sign Language), and this was the start of her passion for swimming.
Last year, she volunteered her time with supporting Deaf Children Australia with the development of the Puggles Swim Program which educates qualified swim instructors on some basic Auslan skills to help other young deaf children learn how to swim.
Dylan and James Logan are brothers from Melbourne Swimming Club in Geelong. This will be older brother, Dylan’s second World Championships, having competed in Brazil in 2019 bringing back amazing memories and making new friends from all around the world.
Having moved to Australia from South Africa in 2016 these brothers have been competing since a very young age and continued their passion for swimming when they moved to Australia. Both becoming proud citizens, they have been fortunate to travel and enjoy seeing some beautiful cities in Australia through their swimming and have met the most amazing swimming communities on the way.
A highlight for them was travelling to compete at the Northern Territory State Championships and competing for Team Vic at School Sports Australia Championships in Tasmania, Adelaide, Brisbane and here in Melbourne, James was also selected for the Victorian State Team and thoroughly enjoyed participating in this experience.
20 year old, Nicholas Layton is known by many around the pool as Nick or Nicky and has had a passion for swimming since a young age. Nick lives in Melbourne and is a member of Western Melbourne Propulsion, where he is coached by Olympian, Kenrick Monk. Needless to say, he loves swimming, both training and competing. At the age of 18 he broke the Men’s 50m Butterfly World Deaf Short Course Record here in November 2020 in Melbourne.
Nick is a first-year student at the Monash University in Melbourne and is doing Batchelor of Engineering and Design. His degree preference goes hand in hand with Nicks other great passion - Art.
The 2023 World Deaf Swimming Championships is a recognised event by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) however does not receive any funding support here in Australia. We are asking the Swimming Victoria community to help support our athletes to get to Argentina in any way possible. Please contact Hannah Britton at Deaf Swimming Australia swimming@deafsports.org.au if you can assist.
