Two local swimmers are going to South Korea next week to represent Canada at the International Children's Games in early July.
Payton Rinas of Chatham and Gavin Schinkelshoek of Pain Court will both be swimming in four individual events and two relays at the Games in Daegu, South Korea from July 5-10, 2023.
Both swimmers are members of the Windsor Aquatic Club and qualified for the Games earlier this season.
Payton's father Kurtis Rinas told CK News Today the trip and competition will be the experience of a lifetime for both young swimmers.
"Amazing and yeah we're super proud. We know the Schinkelshoek family really well and they're super proud of Gavin," said Rinas.
Rinas said the swimmers are going ahead of time to train, get acclimatized to the 12-hour difference, and get ready for a competition format different than what they're accustomed to swimming.
"Some of the provincial meets that we've gone to here are about four or five days long. The one at the International Children's Games is going to be a little more compressed, a little more condensed than what they're accustomed to. So, it's going to be a challenge for them to perform in the prelims and then hopefully make the final," Rinas said.
Schinkelshoek and Rinas will stay with their teammates and hundreds of other athletes from around the world at the athlete’s village during the Games.
Rinas won bronze in the 100 metres backstroke at a swim meet in Markham last week.
Schinkelshoek is one of only nine 14-year-old male swimmers in Canada to be selected for the national development program that focuses on getting swimmers ready for the national team.
