Canadian swimmer Rivard strikes gold at Paralympics, Routliffe earns bronze

PARIS — It was an unreal feeling for Aurelie Rivard.

The 28-year-old from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., won the women's S10 400-metre freestyle with a time of four minutes 29.20 seconds on Thursday at the Paralympic Games. With that, Rivard became the first Canadian swimmer to win a gold medal in the same event in three consecutive Paralympic Games since Stephanie Dixon won the S9 100 backstroke in 2000, 2004, and 2008.

"It's surreal right now because it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do -- prepare for this race," Rivard said. "Especially mentally -- ever since the 2022 world championships when I couldn't finish the race, but also at the beginning of the week when I had two disappointing performances.

"I had to find the confidence to show up tonight and deliver. It took a lot and I am really proud. I am happy I was able to overcome my fears."

It's the third medal of the Paris Games for Rivard, who holds the world and Paralympic record in the 400 freestyle, set at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. She also won silver in the 100 freestyle and bronze in the 50 freestyle in Paris.

However, after her performance in Sunday's 100 freestyle, Rivard considered leaving Paris altogether. She clocked a time of 1:00.82, noting it was the first time in a decade she'd swam the event in over a minute.

She owns the world record of 58.14 seconds in it, setting it at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

"The night of the 100 free, I thought of going home," she said. "But then I slept on it (and) I had a really good conversation with my coaches and my team. I just had to remember that I was the strongest competitor in this event. It was about focusing on myself.

"Forget where I was, forget about the other girls, which is the hardest thing to do because we are at the (Paralympic) Games. But that's what I did."

Alexandra Truwit of the United States (4:31.39) and Bianka Pap of Hungary (4:35.63) earned silver and bronze, respectively, on Thursday.

Tess Routliffe also reached the podium for Canada in the pool just minutes before Rivard.

Routliffe grabbed bronze in the women's SB7 100-metre breaststroke for her second medal of the Paralympics. She finished with a time of 1:31.58, behind Great Britain's Iona Winnifrith (1:29.69) and Russian Mariia Pavlova, who reset her world record with 1:26.09.

Routliffe also earned silver in the women's SM7 200-metre individual medley.

The 25-year-old resident of Caledon, Ont. was able to celebrate her latest medal with tennis-playing sister Erin, who made it to her race after playing in the U.S. Open.

"I saw her in the stands so I gave her the wave. My whole family is there. It's so great to see her. I am so happy she came out," said Tess Routliffe, who noted her other sister Tara has been at every race in Paris.

"(Tara) has been here the whole time, she deserves the credit. Everyone is talking about Erin, but she's been in here the whole time," she said with a laugh.

Erin Routliffe and partner Gabriela Dabrowski, of Ottawa, entered the U.S. Open as defending champions in women's doubles but were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Russia's Veronika Kudermetova and Taiwan's Hao-ching Chan.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2024.