Canada concludes Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with 21 medals

TOKYO – The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games officially came to a close on Sunday, with Brent Lakatos (Dorval, QC) carrying the flag for Canada at the Closing Ceremony, representing all 128 athletes who competed at the Games.  

Hours beforehand, Lakatos concluded competition for the country with a fourth-place finish in the men’s T54 marathon, in a personal-best time of 1:29:18. The race capped a six-event schedule that saw him contest events ranging from the 100m to the 42.195km-long marathon.

With 21 medals, Canada finished 19th on the overall standings by total medals. 

OVERALL MEDAL TOTAL
Gold: 5 / Silver: 10 / Bronze: 6 / Total: 21

Marc-André Fabien, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee: 
“The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games have been phenomenal, including incredible performances from athletes, beautiful venues, and a safe environment for our team. We are grateful to the Japanese people for delivering for such a well-organized Games during challenging circumstances. Beyond exciting results on the field of play, Tokyo 2020 has been a huge success for the growth of the Paralympic Movement, showcasing sport at the highest level, sharing so many stories of excellence and humanity, and how sport can positively impact the entire world.” 

Stephanie Dixon, Chef de Mission, Tokyo 2020 Canadian Paralympic Team: 
“Over the past 12 days, each athlete on the Canadian Paralympic Team has poured their heart into their performances, with so much passion, resilience, and dedication. The year and months leading up to these Games were some of the most challenging ever with the uncertainty, lack of competition opportunities, travel and COVID restrictions, and having to adapt their training, and just to make it to Tokyo was a remarkable accomplishment. Even so, we saw so many wonderful performances, including podiums, personal bests, lessons learned, and forward gains. I can’t wait to see what is next for the members of this team. Congratulations to all 128 athletes who competed for Canada in Tokyo; you have made us proud.” 

Catherine Gosselin-Després, Executive Director, Sport, Canadian Paralympic Committee: 
“Our athletes, coaches, and support staff have put in an incredible amount of hard work over the past 18 months to make it possible to compete at these Games. Everyone came together for one goal, and we are so pleased to be coming home from Tokyo 2020 with the entire Canadian team safe and healthy, and having finished a superb 12 days of competition.” 

•    Aurélie Rivard (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC) was Canada’s top athlete in Tokyo, coming home with five medals – two gold, one silver, and two bronze. She now has 10 Paralympic medals through three Games appearances. 
•    Brent Lakatos was close behind, with four silver medals won at Tokyo 2020, bringing his career total to 11 podiums throughout his five Paralympic Games. 
•    Danielle Dorris (Moncton, NB) was Canada’s other multi-medallist in Tokyo, winning gold in the 50m butterfly S7 and silver in the 100m backstroke S7. 
•    All of Canada’s gold medals were won in record-breaking times or distances: Aurélie Rivard set new world records in both the women’s 100m and 400m freestyle S10 races while Danielle Dorris broke the world record in the women’s 50m butterfly S7. Greg Stewart (Kamloops, BC) set a new Paralympic record en route to his F46 shot put title, while Nate Riech (Victoria, BC) also was Paralympic record-breaking in the men’s T38 1500m. 
•    A total of 16 athletes will be going home with a medal from these Games. 
•    In total, Canada posted 49 Top 5 finishes. 
•    A total of 10 athletes won their first Paralympic medals in Tokyo – Greg Stewart, Danielle Dorris, Nate Riech, Kate O’Brien (Calgary, AB), Priscilla Gagné (Sarnia, ON), Keely Shaw (Midale, SK), Morgan Bird (Calgary, AB), Sabrina Duchesne (St-Augustin, QC), Zachary Gingras (Markham, ON), and Marissa Papaconstantinou (Toronto, ON). 
•    Five of those first-time medallists captured them in their first Paralympic Games appearance – Greg Stewart, Nate Riech, Zachary Gingras, Keely Shaw, and Kate O’Brien. 
•    Six medallists from Rio 2016 are also going with hardware from Tokyo – Aurélie Rivard, Nicolas-Guy Turbide (Quebec City, QC), Katarina Roxon (Kippens, NL), Brent Lakatos, Stefan Daniel (Calgary, AB), and Tristen Chernove (Cranbrook, BC).
•    One medal was won by multiple athletes – the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay comprised of swimmers Aurélie Rivard, Morgan Bird, Sabrina Duchesne, and Katarina Roxon.  
•    Medals were won in five different sports: Para swimming (8), Para athletics (8), Para cycling (3), Para triathlon (1), and Para judo (1)
•    Para swimming (three gold, three silver, two bronze) and Para athletics (two gold, four silver, two bronze) tied as Canada’s most successful sports. 
•    At age 18 and 11 months, Danielle Dorris was Canada’s youngest medallist. The Para swimmer captured a gold and a silver. Tristen Chernove was the oldest member of Team Canada to make the podium, the 46-year-old Para cyclist winning silver in the track individual pursuit.  
•    Athletes from seven provinces won a medal – Quebec (4), Ontario (3), British Columbia (3), Alberta (3), Saskatchewan (1), New Brunswick (1), and Newfoundland & Labrador (1). 
•    The women’s sitting volleyball team was Canada’s top team in Tokyo and posted its best-ever result at the Paralympic Games, finishing in fourth place. 
•    As Para badminton made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, Olivia Meier (Winnipeg, MB) became Canada’s first Paralympian in the sport. 
•    Priscilla Gagné, Canada’s Opening Ceremony flag bearer, became the first Canadian woman to win a medal in Para judo, a silver in the 52 kg category.