Middelburg’s very own Nathan Hendricks began his Paris 2024 Paralympic campaign today to great success, qualifying for the final of the 100m Butterfly.
Hendricks finished fourth in the 100m butterfly heat stage, finishing in under a minute for the first time in his ascendant career.
His new personal best result of 59.51 seconds earned him the joint sixth-fastest qualifying time, an honour he shared with Uzbekistan’s Kirill Pankov.
Hendricks will now shift his attention to tonight’s final, where the Midwit Swimming Club star hopes to claim a medal at this year’s Games at the first time of asking.
The finals will begin at 17:25, and can be watched here: Para Swimming – Men’s & Women’s Finals | Day 1
The heroic Hendricks will also be competing in the following categories during his Parisian adventure
• 400m Freestyle
• 100m Backstroke
• 200m Individual Medley
• 100m Breaststroke
Stargardt disease diagnosis
Hendricks was less than a year old when doctors informed his parents Darryl and Jennifer that their son was type one diabetic.
This proved a significant challenge for Hendricks to maintain a regular and impactful training schedule, which was later compounded when doctors diagnosed the then 12 year old with Stargardt disease.
The disease is an inherited disorder which can severely affect vision and is commonly found in young adults and children.
Despite these obstacles, Hendricks overcame substantial odds to find himself on the world stage, and will have all of Middelburg cheering him on in his quest for sporting immortality.
For an in-depth interview with Nathan Hendricks, purchase a copy of this week’s issue of the Middelburg Observer.
You can watch Hendricks’ performance below:
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