THERE'S a well worn path for athletes who want to compete at the top level of their sport and it usually begins early as a young child and continues with long hours of practising for years before results arrive.
Well, one out of two ain't bad.
Nathan Clement didn't swim competitively until high school, only taking learn-toswim programs as a child, but in December 2011, he returned home from his first international event, the Can-Am Open Swimming Championship in California, setting personal bests in five of six races.
"I went to a friend's high school meet and I just remembered how much I enjoyed the sport, so I wanted to try it again," said Clement, now in his Grade 12 year at West Vancouver secondary, when asked what sparked his interest.
But Clement also faced the unique challenge of being one of the first para-swimmers in B.C. high school sports. A stroke at age two partially paralyzed the left side of his body, making it difficult for him to use his left leg and arm, or open and close his left hand. But when he started swimming in B.C. high school competitions, he was swimming against able-bodied athletes.
It just made him work that much harder, says Clement.
"I honestly don't like getting lapped," he said matter-of-factly.
That work has paid off, according to his coaches Kim Jonat at West Vancouver secondary and Kris Bober at the Otters Swim Club.
"He went from zero to a hero basically," said Bober. "He had no qualified times for any of the regional meets (when he started) and right now Nathan qualifies for (Para-) Olympic trials, which are held in the spring, and he also qualifies for international swim meets.
"He's probably in his division top eight or top 10 in Canada."
Clement is also blazing a path for other provincial athletes with disabilities. In order to swim in a para category in high school sports a swimmer has to be assessed and designated by Swim Canada as a swimmer with a disability, a process Clement went through in Grade 9.
At the time, he was usually the only swimmer in his category, but Jonat said at this year's provincials in Richmond there were five or six.
"I've had coaches come up to me in the last few years and say 'How did you get him classified? What's the process?' So I think there is starting to be a greater awareness." At this point, Clement isn't sure where he'll be next year after graduating from West Vancouver secondary, but is looking at Capilano University.
He plans to continue swimming with the Otters either way, keeping up with a training regime that sees him in the pool six days a week.
At this point, Clement isn't aiming for Paralympic qualifications this year, but has his sights set on the top of world sport when the Paralympics will visit Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
"That's my eventual goal, hopefully, but it's a lot of work ahead," he said.
But while Clement has greatly improved his times in the last several years, it didn't come immediately. He encouraged others looking at the sport to keep that in mind, and keep focused.
"The results won't come at first, but if you keep focused and keep working hard, keep the right mindset then the results will come," he said.
