Dylan and James Logan to represent Australia at the Deaf World Swimming Championships

After a talented Geelong swimmer lost some of his best years of competition, and his brother’s life-changing operation, a major international meet looms for the princes of the pool.

After a talented Geelong swimmer lost some of his best years of competition, and his brother’s life-changing operation, a major international meet looms in August for the princes of the pool.

Hearing-impaired, South African-born Dylan, 20, and James Logan, 16, will compete for Australia together at an international meet for the first time at the sixth Deaf World Swimming Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It comes as both boys made history by competing at the Melbourne Swimming Club’s first-ever Swimming Victoria para/able bodied mixed relay at the Victorian Open Championships.

International waters will be familiar terrain for Dylan, who began swimming at 10 and has performed on the big stage before, collecting 24 Australian Deaf Swimming records at an age and open level.

Hearing-impaired swimmers James and Dylan Logan will compete at an international meet for the first time together in August. Picture:

He also represented the country at the last Deaf Worlds in 2019 in Brazil at just 16 years of age, achieving several top 10 placements.

And the Barwon Sports Academy member has plenty of motivation, too, after missing out on Deaflympics in Brazil, and the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Poland, both due to Covid.

However, a lengthy spell out of the pool taught him “patience, endurance and sheer determination” and that every moment should be seized.

“It was very hard when Covid struck, both physically and mentally, as I knew with every month that passed it was an extra month of getting race fit again,” Dylan said.

“I was missing the best swimming years of my life with international meets.

“I especially was sad to miss out on the Deaflympics as it was the second time I had not been able to go.

James and Dylan Logan. Picture: David Smith.

“I believe that now that I am older and faster, I can rank higher and that motivates me to perform better.”

Dylan has been working on his technique and speed for his first love of short course sprinting – just like his hero, the “sprint king” Kyle Chalmers – plus gym work and core strength training.

The 20-year-old has also been a champion out of the pool, too, recently winning a City of Greater Geelong youth award in March for his performances and dedication to supporting the deaf and disabled community, either through collecting funds or as a swim coach.

Meanwhile, James, who received his Australian citizenship in November last year, will tackle his first international meet representing the country.

Competitors will follow a special traffic lights system before entering the pool.

James has become Dylan’s biggest role model. Picture: David Smith.

James, who received a cochlear implant in August last year, is in good nick having won a swag of medals from three state championships this year.

“(He) has bounced back even stronger post-surgery and has entered a whole new world of sound,” proud mother Nicole said.

Like his brother, James has been working hard on his technique for main events, the freestyle and butterfly, while increasing his training sessions to six times a week.

The Grovedale Secondary College student, who was “very happy and thrilled” to be representing his country, said his brother remained his biggest inspiration and role model.

“I have always ... wanted to be like him and now I have achieved that by also swimming for Australia,” he said.

“My motivation is to be as fast as him.”

You can support the brothers’ trip to Argentina by contacting Nicole at [e-mail]

Originally published as Dylan and James Logan to represent Australia at the Deaf World Swimming Championships