Raben Dommann’s Comeback From Stroke to Canada’s Pan Pac Crew: “It’s Difficult to Put Into Words”

Eighteen months in the past, Raben Dommann‘s life was flipped the other way up.

Having gained two medals on the 2023 Pan Am Games and represented Canada on the 2024 World Championships in Doha lower than a yr earlier, he’d be one of many final individuals you’d count on to undergo a stroke. But that’s what occurred on January 31, 2025.

Twenty-three on the time, Dommann’s stroke was attributable to a congenital coronary heart defect. He underwent heart surgery last May to correct it.

Initially, swimming was the furthest factor from his thoughts. He simply needed to have the ability to do on a regular basis duties once more.

“When I first suffered the stroke, I wasn’t even sure that I would be able to walk properly again,” Dommann advised SwimSwam. “However, over the following months I started to believe that it may be possible to get back to training and competing again.”

He resumed coaching within the fall, starting his fourth yr on the University of British Columbia. It was a sluggish course of with no scarcity of challenges.

“Last year I was essentially out of proper training from January until September, with strict limits on volume and intensity, both in the pool and the weight room,” Dommann stated. “I started back with the group in early September, progressively building up to full volume.”

However, Dommann remains to be coping with persistent atrial fibrillation—a situation that causes irregular and skipped heartbeats—which made constant coaching and competing tougher.

“The doctors have cleared me to train, which I am grateful for,” he stated. “To control the atrial fibrillation, I take heart-rhythm medication that helps manage the symptoms, but that lowers my heart rate and increases fatigue, which adds another challenge to training. I may need another procedure on my heart to help with the atrial fibrillation, and I am discussing with my doctors to see whether it can be done during a training break.”

Despite coping with a brand new set of circumstances, it didn’t take lengthy for him to get again into aggressive type. Though he wasn’t so positive initially.

“I did have doubts about getting back to top form, especially once I was back to training full time with the group in September, since I was clearly quite far behind in terms of fitness and strength. But deep down, I never fully let go of the belief that I could get back to where I was. The nice thing about swimming is that hard work pays off, and over the next few months, me and my coaches put in a lot of work to rebuild my base.”

At the 2025 Canada West Championships (SCM) in November, Dommann gained three gold medals and three silver medals for UBC, setting private finest instances within the 50 again (24.43), 100 again (52.25) and 200 fly (2:00.26).

He adopted that up with an unbelievable displaying on the 2026 U SPORTS Swimming Championships in March, setting lifetime bests (SCM) in each occasion he raced. He gained silver within the 100 again (50.68) and 200 again (1:53.73), bronze within the 50 again (23.74), completed fourth within the 200 free (1:45.63), and added a pair of relay gold medals as UBC cruised to the crew title.

Raben Dommann. Photo: Daniel Harrison/Swimming Canada

“I really started believing that I could get back to top form after U SPORTS, when I was putting up short course best times,” Dommann stated. “After U SPORTS, I felt as though my training started to really take off, partly due to having rebuilt a solid training base, and partly due to increased confidence that we may actually be able to pull off qualifying for the Pan Pacs team.”

By the time final week’s Trials rolled round, fairly than specializing in making the crew, Dommann stayed in his lane and zeroed in on his personal course of, trusting the remaining would deal with itself.

“Heading into Trials, my goal wasn’t necessarily to qualify for the team, but rather to see how many best times I could hit,” he stated. “I felt {that a} finest time, after the whole lot I’ve been by way of, can be the final word accomplishment. I knew that if my solely objective was to qualify for Pan Pacs, and I missed choice as a result of my rivals had nice races, I might be setting myself up for disappointment, even when I swam a finest time. I selected to focus by myself preparation and actions, and being higher than earlier variations of myself regardless of the challenges that I used to be going through.

“I knew that I was in a position to challenge my best times, but being able to do it and actually doing it are two different things. I think that my change in perspective over the past 18 months is what allowed me to reach these goals.”

Dommann kicked the competitors off with a bang, setting a private finest time of 53.79 within the last of the lads’s 100 again to earn a runner-up end and get below the qualifying commonplace. The swim improved on his earlier better of 53.90, set in July 2024.

He carried that momentum into the remainder of the meet, additionally putting 2nd within the 100 fly in a brand new lifetime better of 52.57, whereas additionally cracking the ‘A’ last within the 50 again (25.64), 200 again (2:01.14) and 50 fly (24.38). He set new private bests in all however the 200 again.

He was formally named to Canada’s Pan Pac crew after the Trials concluded on Sunday, a outstanding turnaround given it got here lower than a yr after he returned to coaching and 18 months after the stroke.

Raben Dommann. Photo: Daniel Harrison/Swimming Canada

Attempting to precise what it means to him to have made the crew, Dommann stated: “Representing Canada on the worldwide stage has at all times been the spotlight of my profession, so having the chance to take action once more at Pan Pacs this summer season could be very particular for me.

“Eighteen months in the past, I didn’t know if I might stroll correctly once more, not to mention swim and compete once more. That makes it troublesome to place into phrases what making this crew means to me.

“I am grateful that I am able to continue doing what I love, and with so many friends on the team this summer, I am sure that it will be a fun competition. I am also very grateful to my coaches for believing in me and helping me with adapted training during my return to sport. I am still struggling to wrap my head around the fact that I am back on the national team this soon and swimming lifetime bests after everything that has happened. I almost can’t believe we actually pulled it off.”

The 2026 Pan Pacific Championships are scheduled to run from August 12-15 in Irvine, California.

Dommann is just wanting ahead to taking all of it in and having fun with the method. He lived in Australia for 3 years when he first began swimming as a child, so the truth that the meet is outside is a pleasant reminder of how his profession within the pool began.

“My goal for Pan Pacs is to enjoy representing Canada and to never take it for granted again. I know that I am back in good form, so I will let the racing take care of itself and enjoy the process with my teammates and coaches. I started my swimming career in Australia, where all the competitions were outside in the sun, so this will be a nice reminder of how it all started for me.”

The 25-year-old doesn’t know precisely how lengthy he’ll proceed racing, however after the whole lot he’s skilled, he now not feels the necessity to map out each step.

“Beyond Pan Pacs, I will take it day by day. As long as my heart is still in it, physically and emotionally, I will continue to push to see what I am capable of,” he stated.

The stroke early final yr basically modified the best way he approaches each swimming and life.

“Before the stroke, I used to be very performance-focused, attempting to manage each side of my life and tailoring it throughout perfecting coaching and racing. Since the stroke, nevertheless, I’ve realized the significance of being current in each second and discovering pleasure in day-to-day life. I understand now that there’s a steadiness between optimizing the whole lot for efficiency, and truly discovering pleasure within the course of.

“I feel that going by way of one thing like this modifications you it doesn’t matter what, however I do imagine I’ve a say in whether or not that change is for the higher or worse. Choosing to let it change me for the higher is a acutely aware determination that I’ve to make each morning.

“More than anything, I am incredibly grateful for everything I have been through and where it has brought me. Despite how difficult it has been, I don’t think I would change any of it.”