EUROPEAN Down syndrome record holder Nis Heide Pinnerup has been training five days a week with Kwinana Swim Club during March.
Born and living in Viborg, Denmark with his family, Pinnerup has travelled the world chasing his swimming dreams.
He is the current European Down syndrome Record Holder in the 50m and 100m backstroke and the 200m individual medley.
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Kwinana Swimming Club head coach Kareena Preston said it was the perfect preparation for Pinnerup ahead of the 2018 World Swimming Championships in Truro, Canada in July.
“(Pinnerup) is the second international swimmer with Down syndrome hosted by Kwinana Swimming Club,” she said.
“Joao Vaz from Portugal recently attended a training trip in Perth last September with his coach.”
Preston has had many years of coaching swimmers with many different abilities including world record holder Stephen Donovan, who has Down syndrome, and four-times paralympian Jeremy McClure, who is blind.
She currently coaches a young nine year old boy Alexey Ulupov, who has an acquired brain injury.
“(Ulupov) is developing into a very strong backstroker,” Preston said.
“Every session (he) is keeping up with his peers more and more.
“Swimming helps (Ulupov) maintain and develop strength and mobility, as it does for everyone.”
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