HISTORY OF THE MEET
Under the direction of Keith Kennedy, a USA Swimming Coach and University of Cincinnati alum, the Greater Toledo Aquatic Club (GTAC) established the non-championship meet in 2003.
Twelve years later, it is strengthening the Paralympic Swimming community and continues to be a universal effort with support throughout the Midwest and greater U.S.
More athletes are classified at this swim meet than at any other meet in a given year.
At its peak, the meet hosted at UC’s Keating Aquatic Center has had as many as 139 swimmers. This year, 63 athletes are registered to participate representing the USA and Canada.
More than 20 countries have attended the U.S. Paralympics swim meet in Cincinnati, including teams from: USA, Armenia (6,104 mi), Australia (10,019 mi), Belarus (4,872 mi), Brazil (4,240 mi), Canada, China (7,223 mi), Colombia (2,465 mi from Bogota), Croatia (4,781 mi), Ecuador (2,737 mi from Quito), Finland (4,456 mi), France (4,139 mi from Paris), Japan (6,562 mi from Tokyo), Korea (6,741 mi), India (7,621 mi from Delhi, and no, we are not referring to the West Side of Cinci), Mexico (1,785 mi), New Zealand (8,382 mi), Russia (5,067 mi from Moscow) , Uzbekistan (6,562 mi), Venezuela (2,517 mi).*Mileage calculations reflect distance from countries to Cincinnati
In 2013, U.S. Paralympic Team officially became the meet management and host of the meet.
In 2015 The Enabling Possibility Foundation took over the meet management and hosting of the meet.
