Local Swimmer Heading to Down Syndrome World Swimming Championship
20-9-2022
A local swimmer with Down Syndrome is getting set to test her skills on the world stage.
Julia Lane, daughter of long-time TransForm Manager for Windsor-Essex hospitals Cynthia Lane, is heading across the globe to compete in the Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships in October.
Lane started swimming in 2014. Since then, she has been on a tear-racking up seven world records in Down Syndrome swimming in 2020 along with a number of Americas records.
This performance landed the 22-year-old Parasport Athlete of the Year honours at the 2020 edition of the Windsor-Essex Sports Persons of the Year (WESPY) Awards.
“I loved winning the WESPY for swimming,” boasts Lane. “Just like Kylie Masse!”
Lane competed at the Special Olympics Provincial Games in 2016 where she won a bronze medal followed by the 9th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships in 2018 in Nova Scotia placing in the top 10 in all of her races.
Due to COVID-19, the championship was put off in 2020, but Lane will have a chance to chase her dreams once again this fall as she has qualified for the 10th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships in Portugal.
“I am really excited to go represent Canada on the National Team,” says Lane. “I’ve been training really hard this summer in the pool and at the gym to get ready for Portugal.”
Lane is Team MVP with the Canadian Down Syndrome Swimming Association which will represent Canada at the world championship event. The team is comprised of 14 swimmers from across the country including eight females and six males. Julia is also a member of the Windsor Aquatic Club and the local Special Olympics team.
When she’s not swimming, Lane competes in CrossFit where she has been quite successful as well. In 2021, she took part in the inaugural Adaptive Athlete Division at the CrossFit Open finishing in first place worldwide. Lane took third place worldwide at the CrossFit Games this year.
In addition to regularly volunteering in the community, Lane is a recent graduate of St. Clair College’s Community Integration Through Cooperative Education program with an academic concentration in Culinary Arts.
“My high school co-op placements at the Community Kitchen got me interested in working in a kitchen,” explains Lane. “Getting to go to college taught me the skills to be a better cook in a restaurant kitchen and I love serving people!”
Windsor-Essex has rallied around what’s been dubbed “Julia’s Journey to the Podium - #RoadtoPortugal2022” by her family. Travel costs to Portugal will be fully covered thanks to the community’s support through a GoFundMe page, cornhole tournament and donations at Nana’s Bakery.
The 10th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships get underway on October 16, 2022. A live stream link will be available on Julia’s Instagram page.