Visually impaired swimmer heading to Texas

A New Hamburg girl is heading to San Antonio, Texas this week to compete in the U.S Paralympics Swimming National Championships.

Lindsay Buhr, a visually impaired swimmer who competes with the Brantford swim club, said she is excited about the event.

"I'm ready to go, to leave today," she said, taking a few minutes away from her part time job at The Food Outlet where she works with her mom Karen.

Buhr will be competing in the 50m, 100m, and 400m freestyle races, as well as the 100m back.
The event, which runs from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12, is held at the Palo Alto Community Collage Natatorium in Texas.

The swim competition is hosted by the U.S Paralympics team, and will attract competitors from North America and other countries around the world.

The meet is for people with physical disabilities, or those who are blind and visually impaired.
Buhr qualified for the meet through hard work with Brantford Aquatics.

She said her coach told her "if you want to go, you have to step it up a bit."

So, Buhr spent some extra time and effort in the pool, and managed to make it for this years national meet, the first one she's ever been to.

A competitive swimmer for the past five years, she attends W. Ross School For The Blind in Brantford.

Buhr said she got into swimming through a club at school, and it blossomed from there.
"They just kept pushing me up, and pushing me up."

Buhr said there will be a lot of stiff competition at the meet, but she expects to remain competitive.
"I hope to bring home some gold," she said.