"I'm afraid of quitting": Andreas Onea on his love of swimming and the chaos in parasport

Andreas Onea, a professional swimmer with a prosthetic left arm, has expressed his fear of retiring after training for a season that had been absent for years. The world governing body has left athletes uncertain about future competitions, stating that such events should not occur again in 2026. Onea, who competed at the European Championships in Paris, hopes that competitive swimming will become more routine for para-athletes in the future. Onea’s journey began seven years ago when he lost his left arm in a car accident. During rehabilitation, he discovered the power of sports, which became central to his life. His new prosthetic limb, named after the Italian artist Michelangelo, features electrodes that allow him to control muscle movement. To adapt, he spent hours in physical therapy, practicing tasks like catching balls mid-air and lifting objects. This process was both physically and mentally demanding, as he learned to maintain focus and energy throughout daily activities. The prosthetic has significantly improved Onea's quality of life. It enables him to carry groceries, catch his children while playing in the park, and manage equipment during media appearances, all without fatigue. For Onea, this level of functionality represents a major step toward inclusion in the workforce. He views his ability to perform these tasks as essential to participating fully in society. While the prosthetic aids in everyday life, it does not play a role in his competitive swimming career. Onea competes in pools without the device, focusing solely on performance. Despite this, he expresses a desire for more participation in Paralympic events than just fingers. He has competed five times on the largest sporting stage, earning five artificial fingers through his prosthetic. Now 34, Onea says he would like to continue swimming for at least another two decades. “If it were up to me, yes,” he says. “I honestly have a fear of stopping.” Onea’s connection to swimming runs deep. He sees the sport as a medium to show others what is possible and to spread this message within society. However, he faces challenges in navigating a system that lacks consistent platforms for competition. At the weekend, he will compete alongside world-class swimmers in Paris, marking a historic moment as the first time Para-Swimming events take place within the framework of a European Championships. Swimmers will race over 50 and 100 meters freestyle, competing in the same pool as Olympic stars like Léon Marchand and Sarah Sjöström. Despite this opportunity, Onea notes a fundamental issue within the sport. Other disciplines, such as triathlon, cycling, and 3x3 basketball, have successfully integrated para-sports into existing structures. In contrast, the swimming community is divided between two separate international federations: World Para Swimming and World Aquatics. This division leads to separate championships, complicating efforts to unify the sport. The European Championships, originally scheduled for July in the Netherlands, were postponed due to concerns over Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation. In December, it was announced that the event would be canceled altogether. Onea found himself suddenly needing to adjust his training schedule, caught off guard by the sudden change. This uncertainty highlights the instability faced by para-athletes seeking consistent opportunities to compete.