Luka balances work, community volunteering with swimming at the highest level as a NZ para rep. He’s the first NZer with Down syndrome to swim at high performance level and is selected and judged on his ability and performance in the pool, not on Special Olympics participation. Having successfully competed globally (including many medals and 8 Oceania records), Luka is an advocate for inclusion and diversity. By pushing the boundaries of expectation, Luka courageously paves the way for others. This Grant will help Luka compete at the Down Syndrome Swimming & Artistic World Champs in Turkey for further international experience and lift his world rankings. At 21, he’s yet to hit his peak towards his goals of the NZ para team and DSISO swimming internationally.