U.S. Paralympics Swimming | Forging Forward, Paralympian Keegan Knott Now Readies For Her World Championships Debut

Keegan Knott has been to 2 Paralympic Games and a Parapan American Games, however there may be one main worldwide meet lacking from her resume: the world championships.

That will change in two months when Knott makes her debut on the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, being held Sept. 21-27.

“It’s been a long, long journey to get here to my first world champs,” the 20-year-old Knott stated. “I’m really excited to get to go, and also to get to go to Singapore. I’ve never been to that part of the world before, so that makes it even more exciting.”

Knott is considered one of 13 girls and 7 males who will characterize Team USA on the gathering of the world’s most interesting. This would be the first main worldwide championship for the reason that 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris practically a 12 months in the past.

Although that was Knott’s second journey to the Paralympics, it felt extra like her first. Knott, a rising junior at Northern Arizona, went to the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2021 (delayed a 12 months as a result of COVID-19 pandemic) however stated it felt like she barely touched down in Japan earlier than she needed to flip round and go away.

“My event was the first day; it was the second event of the entire swimming program, and I left the next day because of the covid regulations,” stated the native of Lake Villa, Illinois. “So it’s weird, because I can say I went to the Tokyo Games and competed, but it felt like I wasn’t there. It was just so quick.”

Fortunately Paris was a unique story.

A distance specialist, she as soon as once more competed within the 400-meter freestyle S9, enhancing from twelfth within the occasion in 2021 to tenth in 2024. But she additionally was capable of keep in Paris together with her teammates and expertise the Games and town by going to a blind soccer match, visiting the Eiffel Tower and testing some native espresso outlets and eating places.

But the very best half, Knott stated, was merely being there.

“The hardest thing for me after Tokyo was the what if,” she stated. “Will I ever make it to another Games? And so getting to be there again and getting to compete again was just gratifying.” 

After she acquired residence it was proper again to class, and she or he solely had two weeks off earlier than she needed to begin coaching for her faculty swim season. The finish of her sophomore season didn’t provide a lot alternative for a break, both, with the Para Swimming World Series that served because the lone choice occasion for the world championships arising in Indianapolis in simply two months.

“I had a decent year after Games,” Knott stated. “Jumping right into the college season was a little rough, but I just stuck with my coach, and he trained me really hard the entire year. I did great at conference, broke two American records in the 1,000 and the 1,650, took a few days off then went straight into training for Indy.”

Knott would love nothing greater than for better distances than the 400-meter to be included within the Paralympic schedule.

“Oh man, if they had the 800 and 1,500, I would love that,” she stated. “The 400 feels more like a sprint, and the 800 has always been my favorite event. It’s a nice little sweet spot between 400 and 1,500. I would love that. Distance is … it’s grueling at times. It’s not fun. But once you get into that groove, it’s great. It’s another feeling. I love it.”

Since making the world championships group, Knott has been coaching within the pool whereas additionally persevering with to organize for her profession by shadowing at a pediatric bodily remedy apply. An train physiology main, Knott plans to someday be a bodily therapist herself.

“I’ve done PT all my life, and I always thought it was really interesting and cool that they’re able to do so many things and magically fix the body, in a way,” stated Knott, who was born with congenital femoral deficiency and has a shorter proper leg and fused proper ankle. “(I’m shadowing at) a pediatric place so it’s a lot of little kids, and helping them learn how to sit up and roll over and grab things. It’s actually where I went when I was a little girl, so it’s a full-circle moment. But then it’s also interesting seeing what different things people are coming in for and how the PTs are helping them. It’s really cool and I’m just trying to take it all in right now.”

Knott will begin again to high school on the finish of August, then go away a month later for Singapore. With the assist of her faculty coach and teammates, who she says push her to her limits and cheer her each step of the best way, she hopes to compete in a 3rd Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I mean for me (what keeps me motivated) is mostly just the fact that I’m capable of more and I’m not done with the sport,” she stated. “I know I still have something to contribute to the sport, and I have also loved seeing it grow so much, and that’s just not something I want to let go of any time soon.”

Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has coated Olympic and Paralympic sports activities for numerous publications. She is a contract contributor to USParaSwimming.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.