WINNIPEG - Thomas Osborn lives in three worlds. Deaf, hearing and underwater. It's in the water world he is reaching heights never imagined by him or his family when his hearing, on a continuous decline since birth, completely disappeared at age 10.The Kelvin High School student will represent Canada at the 2013 Deaflympics July 26-Aug. 4 in Sofia, Bulgaria. He's one of just six swimmers on Team Canada for the international multi-sport games, which is sanctioned by the International Committeee of Sports of the Deaf. (Deaf athletes are not eligible for the Paralympics so this is their Olympics.)
"There's a running joke with athletes who swim is that the pool is a second home," said Thomas, a member of the Manitoba Marlins Swim Club. "Our group spends over 25 hours (per week) training. Swimming has given me a lot of achievements, I'm proud of that, and I am hoping to achieve even more."
The youngest child and only son of Carolynn and DeWayne Osborn, Thomas will compete in five events at the Deaflympics the 400-, 200-, 100- and 50-metre freestyle events and the 200-m individual medley.
"It's amazing to me, for him to get to the level he is at in swimming, given what he's had to overcome," DeWayne said.
"We're very proud of all the things he's accomplished," Carolynn said. "You don't always get what you want in life. You play the hand you were dealt. So that's the hand we've been dealt, that's the hand he's been dealt, and I think he's played it remarkably well."
A friendly, polite, confident young man, with an easy smile, Thomas turned 17 on Sunday, the day he left for Bulgaria. Read more at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/water-world-216880051.html
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