Sports
Benoît Huot Swimmer
Benoît Huot has won 28 Paralympic swimming medals, nine of them gold, making him one of Canada’s most decorated sportsmen.
horizon, Huot had all the incentive he needed. “I had never had the opportunity in almost 20 years of a career to compete at home, in front of friends, family and Canadians to really increase the awareness and visibility of para-sports,” says Huot.“There was a great opportunity to be part of those games, to promote the movement and educate Canadians on who we are and what we do.”
Competing in the S10 para-swim classification, primarily in freestyle and butterfly, Huot has broken over 60 swimming records in his long career. When he hits the water in Rio de Janeiro in September, he will be competing in his fifth Paralympic Games. But ask the Quebec native which of these achievements he cherishes the most he’ll say none of the above. “What I’m most proud of is the way I was able to come back after Beijing and get to London,” says Huot. The 32-year-old went into the 2008 Paralympics in China as a strong favourite. Though he came home with four bronze medals, the games were a major disappointment for the perennial champion.
September’s Paralympics won’t be Huot’s first time competing on Brazilian soil. He competed at the 2007 Parapan Am Games in Rio. Whilst recognizing he won’t have the chance to do much sightseeing, the Canadian is looking forward to continuing his friendly rivalry with Brazilian swimmer Andre Brasil.
“I didn’t know if I had another four years in me but I knew I couldn’t stop on that note,” he says. “I approached it with a new philosophy, a new approach, a little like when I started the sport as an eightyear-old kid.”
“There waS a greaT opporTuniTy To be parT of ThoSe gameS, To promoTe The movemenT and educaTe canadianS on who we are and whaT we do.”
Not only did Huot go on to win gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2012 games in London, he was chosen as Canada’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony. “It’s very unique,” he explains, “It’s not something you can win or something you can control, you have to be chosen. I was very honoured.”
After London, Huot asked himself the same question he asks himself at the start of every season:“Are you still motivated? Are you still engaged? Do you still have the energy?” As the 2013 ParaSwimming World Championships were to be held in Montreal and with the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto on the
In addition to catching a virus in the days before the games, the 200-metre IM world record holder had also, “lost passion for the sport.” Huot was at a crossroads. But it was far from the first time he had faced adversity: Born with a right clubfoot, Huot required corrective surgery and didn’t begin walking until he was three.
“I love the city. It’ll be good to increase the awareness of para-sports, not only in Brazil but around the world.” When not training for Rio, Huot can be found at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, where his support of the Blue Jays stems from one person in particular: Jays catcher Russell Martin. He reached out to Huot in the recent off-season and they designed an aqua-exercise program aimed at improving Martin’s upperbody strength. “I realized how he became the best player in the world at his position because of how much of a good student he is,” Huot says. “That’s why when I’m in Toronto I like to go to the Jays game and cheer for Russell.” Come September, as he swims for his tenth gold medal, there’ll be a whole nation cheering for Huot.