Silverman and Huot clash to headline Spring CanAms

Over 200 swimmers from eight countries compete in one of the highlights of the para-swimming calendar. 26 Mar 2014

Benoit Huot at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships

ⒸIPC

By IPC

Huot, who has medalled at every single World Championships and Paralympic Games since 1998, has already tipped Silverman to join him as one of the greatest ever para-swimmers.

Multiple Canadian World and Paralympic Champion Benoit Huot is set to meet America’s new hero, 18 year-old Ian Silverman, once again in the pool from Thursday (27 March) at this years’ Spring CanAm competition in Miami, USA.

Huot, who has medalled at every single World Championships and Paralympic Games since 1998, has already tipped Silverman to join him as one of the greatest ever para-swimmers.

True to that prediction, at last years’ IPC Swimming World Championships in Montreal, Canada, Silverman picked up four medals including the 400m freestyle S10 gold. In February 2014, he also set a new 400m individual medley SM10 world record at the RVA Richmond races in the USA.

The pair will meet in the 200m individual medley SM10, in which Huot is the reigning World Champion, and 100m backstroke S10 at the Ransome Everglades Aquatics Centre in Miami, USA. The event is also the US Paralympics Swimming Nationals.

Over 200 athletes from seven countries will gather for the meet, which serves as a qualifier for August’s Pan Pacific Para-Swimming Championships.

Amongst the American team is Jessica Long, who this year celebrates a decade of competitive swimming at the highest level, after her Paralympic Games debut at Athens 2004. The 18-time world and 12-time Paralympic Champion once again struck gold in Montreal with three world titles, two of which came in the 200m individual medley SM8 and 400m freestyle S8 which Long will compete in this week.

Courtney Jordan, also a winner of three gold medals in Montreal, will enter a total of seven events including the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle S7 events she is currently the World Champion in.

Canadian Aurelie Rivard, 17, will look to follow on from her quadruple podium at home in Montreal and post some strong performances ahead of the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain.

Headlining the Mexican team in Miami is 50m backstroke S4 world champion Juan Reyes.

The 2014 Spring CanAms run from 27-29 March.