Canadian swimmer Aurélie Rivard captured her 12th career Paralympic medal with silver in the women’s S10 100-metre freestyle event on Sunday in Paris.
The 28-year-old from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., clocked a time of one minute 00.82 seconds at Paris La Défense Arena, finishing just 0.3 seconds behind gold medallist Emeline Pierre of France.
Rivard, who holds the world record, was the two-time defending champion in the event. Her latest podium appearance pushes her one past wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos for most among Canadians in Paris.
It’s Rivard’s second medal of these Games after claiming bronze in the S10 50m freestyle on the opening day.
WATCH | Rivard claims silver medal:
Aurélie Rivard of Montreal captured a silver medal Sunday in the 100-metre freestyle SM10 event at the Paralympics in Paris.
Italy’s Alessia Scortechini finished behind Rivard for the bronze medal in 1:01.02.
The vast crowd at the swimming venue roared when Pierre touched the wall first, leaving the French athlete seemingly stunned, sitting on the ledge with her hands covering her mouth.
Rivard, who set the event world record (58.14) while capturing gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021, could only look on.
She posted the fastest qualifying time earlier in the day with a mark of 1:00.41. She also took home the world title last summer in Manchester, England.
Edmonton’s Arianna Hunsicker failed to advance to the final, placing seventh in her heat with a time of 1:03.18.
Wassermann has sights set on L.A. Games
The Paralympic learning curve was steep, but worth it for Jacob Wassermann.
Less than two years after taking up the sport of Para rowing and six years after he survived a bus crash that killed members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, Wassermann raced the B final of men’s PR1 single sculls in Paris.
The 24-year-old from Humboldt, Sask., was the youngest competitor in the international field and finished 10th overall.
Wassermann says he became a Paralympian sooner than expected and that the Los Angeles Paralympic Games in 2028 had been his goal.
The athlete also says he learned a lot watching more experienced rowers that he can use as he prepares for L.A.
Wassermann was paralyzed from the waist down in the bus crash that killed 16 members of the Broncos. He tried adaptive water skiing and Para hockey before giving Para rowing a try.
🇨🇦 JACOB WASSERMANN’S PARALYMPIC DEBUT IS COMPLETE<br><br>The Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor finishes the B Final strong to complete his para rowing debut on a brilliant morning here in France.<br><br>Extraordinary resilience. A true Canadian champion. Congratulations Jacob. <a href=”https://t.co/SW48aS9Cxd”>pic.twitter.com/SW48aS9Cxd</a>
—@Devin_Heroux
“This is my second summer on the water only. It’s been a quick process and not something that we expected,” Wassermann said after Tuesday’s training session. “Six months ago, even when I was in Rio and got the qualification [at the Americas Continental Qualification Regatta] — we went to Rio just to get more experience.
“It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
Wassermann finished fourth in the four-man B final, clocking 11 minutes 58.90 seconds in the 2,000m race at Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium.
Great Britain’s Benjamin Pritchard captured gold with a time of 9:03.84 in the A final, while Ukraine’s Roman Polianskyi (9:14.47) and Australia’s Erik Horrie (9:23.37) took silver and bronze.
Lakatos, Smeenk advance to medal races
Canadian wheelchair racers Brent Lakatos and Austin Smeenk both advanced to the final in their respective heats on Sunday at Stade de France.
Lakatos, an 11-time Paralympic medallist, will look to win his third career Paralympic medal in the men’s 400m T53 event after posting a season-best time.
Lakatos, a 44-year-old from Dorval, Que., won silver medals in the distance in Tokyo and the 2012 London Paralympics.
Smeenk also registered the fourth-fastest qualifying time in the men’s T34 100m, winning his Round 1 heat in 15.38.
The 27-year-old Oakville, Ont., native will race in the final on Monday at 5:24 a.m. ET.
Smeenk won silver in the event at the World Para Athletics Championships last July.
WATCH | Swimmer Tess Routliffe details journey to silver medal:
Paralympic silver medallist Tess Routliffe joins Brian Hnatiw to discuss her latest medal, and how she’s feeling heading into her next race.
Cyclist Sametz withdraws from road races with injury
Para cyclist Mike Sametz of Calgary withdrew from the Paralympics because of injury.
The 28-year-old crashed in training for road races. Sametz fractured his right hip and will require surgery, the medal-winning cyclist said in a joint statement released Sunday by the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Cycling Canada.
“It’s been a chaotic few days since I had an unfortunate accident on Wednesday,” Sametz said. “I landed awkwardly on my right hip, which resulted in a fracture that required surgery. I am immensely grateful for the emergency responses on all fronts.
“It’s unfortunate that I will be unable to compete, but I want to congratulate my teammates on their stellar results on the track and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming road events.”
Sametz was a bronze medallist in the time trial in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and also in last year’s Parapan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.
He didn’t race in Tokyo’s Paralympics three years ago because of injury.
His six teammates will compete in road races starting with Wednesday’s men’s and women’s time trials.
The team earned three bronze medals in track cycling in Paris.
Other Canadian results:
- Kyle Tremblay was eliminated from the men’s individual compound open archery event by India’s Rakesh Kumar in the quarterfinals. The two were tied at 144 after five ends, but Kumar advanced by winning the ensuing shoot-off.
- Canada’s wheelchair rugby squad will compete for fifth place in Paris after beating Denmark 56-46 in the first of two placing playoff games. The Canadians, who were eliminated from medal contention on Saturday, will face the winner of Sunday’s match between France and Germany on Monday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
- The Canadian women’s goalball team played South Korea to a scoreless draw in its final preliminary-round game. Canada will next compete in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, with its opponent to be determined after Sunday’s final group match between France and Japan at 1 p.m. ET.