National Teams

Para-Swimming Team

Zach Zona

  • Age 25
  • Height 152.4 cm / 5 ftin
  • Club High Performance Centre – Québec
  • Coach Simon Deguire & Marie Bergeron
  • Previous Coaches Mike Thompson, Trent McNicol
  • Hometown Waterford, ON
  • Residence Montreal, QC
  • Event 100 FR, 400 FR, 100 FL, 200 IM

National Team Highlights

EventFinalist
Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships2
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
London 2019 World Para Swimming Championships1
Cairns 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships4
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games1
Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games35

Zach’s Bio

  • At the 2023 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto, Zona earned a trio of multi-class medals, including silver in the men’s 200-m individual medley and 400 freestyle, as well as bronze in 100 free. His performance qualified him for the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships team in Manchester, England.
  • At the Madeira 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, Zona placed 6th in the 400-m freestyle S8, 7th in the 200-m individual medley SM8, 10th in the 100-m freestyle S8, 11th in the 100-m backstroke S8, and 12th in the 50-m freestyle S8.
  • At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Zona finished ninth in the men’s 400 freestyle S8.
  • Zona earned silver in the 400-m freestyle multi-class at the 2022 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials. He also placed 5th in the 100-m freestyle multi-class. His performances qualified him for the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.
  • At the London 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, Zona’s best performance came in the 400-m freestyle S8, where he reached the final (7th). He also finished ninth in the 200-m individual medley SM8.
  • At the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships, Zona finished sixth in the 400-m freestyle S8 and the 100-m butterfly S8. He also finished seventh in the 100-m backstroke S8 and eighth in the 100-m freestyle S8.
  • At the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Zona finished fifth in the SM8 200-m individual medley.
  • At the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto, Zona captured silver in the 400-m freestyle multi-class final thanks to a personal-best time.
  • At the 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials, Zona capture silver in the men’s Para multi-class 400-m freestyle and bronze in the 100-m freestyle.
  • At the 2017 Can Am Para-swimming Championships, Zona won two silver medals, in the 400-m freestyle and in the 200-m medley.
  • Zona won bronze in the 400-m freestyle, 100-m butterfly and 200-m IM at the 2015 Toronto Parapan Am Games. He was also a member of the 4×100-m 34 pt. freestyle relay that won silver and set a Canadian record.
  • He swam in four individual events at his first IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
  • At the 2015 Speedo Can Am Para-swimming Championships in Toronto, Zona reached the podium in three events. He was second in the 100-metre butterfly and 100-m freestyle plus was third in the 200-m individual medley.
  • At age 15, Zona reached four finals at the 2014 Pan Pacific Para-swimming Championships, his first national team assignment. Zona was fourth in the 400-m freestyle, fifth in the 100-m freestyle and sixth in both the 100-m butterfly and 50-m freestyle.
  • In 2013, Zona was selected to attend Swimming Canada’s 2013-14 Outreach Camp Programs. He was one of only 10 swimmers selected from across Canada.
  • Also in 2013, Zona represented Ontario at the Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Que. He earned bronze medals in the 100-m butterfly and 400-m freestyle, was fourth in the 100-m breaststroke and fifth in both the 50-m freestyle and 100-m freestyle.
  • In 2012, he gained valuable experience competing at the Paralympic Games team trials in Montreal.
Quick Facts
  • Twitter: @zzona13
  • Instagram: @zzona13
  • Favourite Movie: Inception
  • Favourite Book: Return of the King
  • Favourite TV Show: Game of Thrones
  • Favourite Actor/Actress: Robert Downey Jr.
  • Band: Kanye West
  • Music behind the blocks: Eminem
  • Other sports: Soccer
  • Favourite Athlete: Gianluigi Buffon
  • Favourite Superhero: Ironman
  • Favourite Place to visit: Italy
  • Guilty pleasure: Pizza

Zach’s Personal Bests

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EventCourseTimeDateMeetRecordsMastersStatus
200m Backstroke50mKen Demchuk International Invitational
200m Freestyle25mPanAM OPen
100m Backstroke25mPanAM OPen
200m Freestyle50mChampionnat Quebecois ARENA
50m Freestyle50mWorld Para Championships
100m Freestyle50mWorld Para Championships
100m Backstroke50mWorld Para Championships
50m Butterfly25mInvitation international de Noel
100m Breaststroke50mWinter Ontario Swimming Championships
800m Freestyle25mNeptune International de Noel 25m---
50m Butterfly50mWorld Series
800m Freestyle50m33. Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften1
50m Backstroke50mNeptune International (CSPO 50m)
50m Breaststroke50mNeptune International (CSPO 50m)
400m Freestyle50mCanadian Swimming Trials
50m Freestyle25mNeptune International (CSPO 25m)
400m Freestyle25mNeptune International (CSPO 25m)---
100m Medley25mNeptune International (CSPO 25m)---
100m Freestyle25mSwim International
100m Breaststroke25mSwim International---
200m Medley50mPan Pacific Para Championships
50m Backstroke25mTime Trials
25m Breaststroke25mTime Trials
25m Freestyle25mTime Trials
100m Butterfly50mWorld Para Swimming World Series
100m Butterfly Laps50mCan Am Para ChampionshipsRELAY
200m Butterfly25mInvitation provinciale Neptune 12 ans et moins 13 ans et plus Centre sportif du Parc Olympique
200m Medley25mInvitation provinciale Neptune 12 ans et moins 13 ans et plus Centre sportif du Parc Olympique
1500m Freestyle25mInvitation provinciale Neptune 12 ans et moins 13 ans et plus Centre sportif du Parc Olympique
50m Freestyle Laps25mInvitation provinciale Neptune 12 ans et moins 13 ans et plus Centre sportif du Parc OlympiqueRELAY
1500m Freestyle50mCan Am Para-swimming Championships---
200m Butterfly50mCan Am Para-swimming Championships---
100m Butterfly25mWestern Region SC Championships
400m Medley25mSwim International 2015 - 40th Anniversary
50m Breaststroke Laps25mAqua 7 ChampionshipRELAY
50m Breaststroke25mTime Trials
100m Freestyle Laps50mPan Pacific Para ChampionshipsRELAY
200m Backstroke25mJoanne Malar
50m Freestyle Laps50mWestern Region LC ChampionshipsRELAY