A young Tyrone swimmer is set to make his Paralympic debut this summer, at what will be only his second ever major international championship.
Deaten Registe, who swims for Lisburn City Swimming Club, was announced earlier this week as one of the first seven athletes to be representing Team Ireland at the Paris games.
The 20-year-old competed in the European championships in Portugal just two months ago. This was his first opportunity to race at a major championship and Registe said that it was an exciting new experience for him.
“That was my first major trip away and it was also the first time I was competing with just my S14 class,” he said.
“It was quite nerve-wracking.
“But, my teammates were very supportive and they guided me through the competition.
“It was an honour to represent the country and be able to compete at an international gala, for Ireland, on a big stage.”
The S14 class which Registe competes in is for swimmers who have an intellectual impairment. It’s one of three types of classification for Paralympic swimmers: Physical, visual and intellectual.
“For me, it affects the way I process things and my timing and reflects,” Registe explained.
“It makes me more nervous and sometimes that can affect the way I race. I can sometimes overthink things.
“My coach Stan, he’s the head coach at Lisburn, has helped find ways for me to prepare for galas.
“Getting that support has really helped me with my confidence.”
Registe met the Paralympic standard at the Leinster LC Open, in January. However, he did not find out about his Paris selection until much later.
“I only found out three or four days before it was announced publicly. It was really exciting to see that email come through telling me that I had been selected,” he said.
“I had to keep it quiet until the official announcement, but it was a great joy to tell my family.
“It’s something you dream of as a kid, just being able to go to a big competition. It’s something you work your whole career for.
“It’s a relief to be able to go.”
The Dungannon man will be competing in the 100m breaststroke at Paris. He will join roughly 35 other Irish athletes, across all sports, at the games.