Kirby
Cote

Kirby Cote is one of Canada’s most decorated Paralympians, winning an astonishing 13 Paralympic medals, including seven gold medals, from representing Canada at three Paralympic Games. A blind Para swimmer, Kirby made her Paralympic Games debut at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics as a 16-year-old, winning golds in both the Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB13 and Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM13, setting new world record times in each event respectively.

It was at the Athens 2004 Paralympics where the Winnipeg native dominated her category, finishing the Games with five gold and two silver medals, before going on to make her final Paralympic Games appearance at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, where she won two silver medals in the Women’s 100m Butterfly S13 and Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM13 events.

In June 2024, it was announced Kirby Cote would be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame among the 2024 class of athletes. In 2018, Kirby was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Kirby Cote has always said swimming helped her be just another kid as she was growing up, but her accomplishments in the sport of Para swimming have placed her in a class of her own.