Levy laps it up at Para Pan Pacs
Paralympian Matt Levy showed why he remains a force in world swimming last week, setting new PBs and winning medals at the 2018 Para Pan Pacs in Cairns.
FOUR-TIME Paralympian Matt Levy showed why he remains a force in world swimming last week, setting new personal best (PB) times and winning medals at the 2018 Para Pan Pacs in Cairns.
After starting in top form by posting a three-second PB in the 400 free heats, the veteran S7 category swimmer – who has cerebral palsy and vision impairment – backed up in the final, shaving two more seconds off to finish in 4:46.50 and win gold.
On day two he teamed up with Aussie teammates Timothy Hodge, Rick Pendleton and Timothy Disken to win gold in the men’s medley relay final.
Levy won another gold on August 11 in the men’s 200 individual medley in 2:35.08, and the medals kept coming for him on days four and five.
He won silver in the men’s S7 50 butterfly final in 31.79 seconds, and combined with Disken, Ben Popham and Rowan Crothers to win gold in the men’s 4×100 free relay in 3:50.45.
Levy, who trains at North Sydney Swimming Club, ended the championships by winning gold in the 50 free S7 final, just ahead of fellow Aussie Rohan Bright.
He also received the tournament’s excellence award for male swimmers.
“You go to these competitions to do PBs and to compete hard against the rest of the world, and it’s fantastic that I’m still enjoying it at the age of 31,” Levy said.
“It would be great to round out my career with a fifth Paralympic Games at Tokyo in 2020.”
SHANE DESIATNIK
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