Aquatic star aims for Paralympic gold

IT is sheer will and determination that has driven local swimmer, Kevin Paul, to push his own limits and led him to qualify for his third Paralympics.

The 24-year-old grew up in Port Elizabeth but moved to Durban about two years ago to train with Graham Hill and the rest of the Seagulls Swimming Club team.

Kevin started swimming when he was four years old and his love for the sport continued to grow throughout his school career, which kicked off when he took part in the Beijing Paralympics in 2008 and bagged a gold medal for South Africa for the 100-metre breaststroke.

What others view as a disability, Kevin said his Poland Syndrome is rather something he sees as a different kind of ability. He was born without pectoral major or pectoral minor muscles on his left side. “I’ve always been like this, so I can’t compare it to anything else. At school level I always competed against able-bodied swimmers and they didn’t go easy on me because of it,” said a smiling Kevin.

Having recently qualified to compete in the Rio Games this year, he is doing his utmost to ensure that he is at the top of his game. He trains with the rest of the team nine times a week at the Lahee Park Swimming Pool, which is currently being upgraded due to the support from The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.

For six two-hour sessions he is in the pool and during the two to four land sessions he works on power and endurance, focusing on his core and legs. “When it comes to swimming, your thoughts are your own and it can be lonely, but the team that I swim with is great and we all support each other and the banter that goes on before, during and after training is what gives you the extra boost. I came up here to train with he best and I am sure it was the right choice,” said Kevin.

“There is a nervousness that you get just before the race as you stand on the podium and wait for the race to start. At that moment you know that everything you’ve done up until that point will determine the next few seconds of your life. It’s wanting that feeling again that drives me,” said Kevin.

Before his move to Durban, he was in his final year of law and was half a year shy of achieving his LLB law degree when he moved to Cowies Hill to train for the Games. “I’m not giving it up, it is just on hold for the moment. “Once my swimming chapter is done that leaves me with something else to pursue,” he said.

The accomplished swimmer brought home a silver after the Paralympic Games in London and in the last two World Champs he received gold medals, and is now aiming for a number one podium finish at this year’s games. “You can have as many good performances as you like, but up until the race, you can’t blame anyone but yourself should you not perform as well as you could have. You learn a lot about yourself at the Olympics as you are literally competing against the best, and then there is after the event and how you handle yourself. I am excited,” said Kevin.

To relax, the part-time motivational speaker swaps one body of water for another as he enjoys surfing and fishing. “It’s not competitive and is a way for me to just relax and get away,” said Kevin.