Andrew Cooke returned from the 2014 Pan Pacific Para Games in Pasadena, Calif., Aug. 6-10 with a silver medal, bronze medal and Canadian record.

“It was amazing. It was pretty hard,” said Cooke of his accomplishments.

Earning a Canadian record in the 50-metre freestyle was amazing for the KISU swim club member as he beat out a teammate by one second, finishing the event in 42 seconds. It was Cooke’s best performance in that freestyle distance.

Cooke earned silver in the 50-m back stroke and bronze in the 200 -m individual medley. Cooke also trimmed 13 seconds combined in the preliminary and final heat for the 200-m freestyle. In the five events Cooke competed in, he came short of achieving a personal best time just once.

Representing Canada and facing a strong field of competitors brought out the best in Cooke.

“I performed fantastically,” said Cooke, who had personal best performances in all but one swim for preliminary and final heats. “It was tense. They (coaches) had high standards for me. They felt I performed very well.”