Canadian Para swimmers on top Down Under

CAIRNS, Australia – Aurélie Rivard and Alec Elliott each won a third gold medal while Nicolas-Guy Turbide and Danielle Dorris both set national records on Monday as the Canadian team racked up 11 more medals to conclude the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships.

Over five days of competition, the Canadian delegation tallied an impressive 40 podium finishes (14-10-16) and 24 personal-best times, while setting one world, three Americas and 10 national marks.

“I was really impressed with our team this week, and how they continue to build a really strong team culture,” said Vince Mikuska, Swimming Canada’s Senior Coach, Paralympic program. “The athletes rose to all of the challenges that the coaching staff set for them this week. It was a great response, very good meet.”

Rivard, a triple Paralympic Games gold medallist from CHP-Québec in Montreal, won the women’s 50m free S10 final in 27.72 to complete a sweep of the three individual freestyle events at the meet.

The 22-year-old had kicked off the competition on Thursday by breaking her own world record in the 400 freestyle. She leaves Australia with seven medals (3-2-2) in as many races – including two relays – to match her performance from the 2014 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Pasadena, California.

“I’m really pleased with my race. It was my best time since Rio. I really wanted to win the race, it was my main goal,” said Rivard. “I don’t really train much for that event, so I’ll try to focus more on it over the next two years. I’m really happy to have won gold in all three freestyle events at these championships.”

Elliot, a 22-year-old member of the Region of Waterloo Swim Club, triumphed in the men’s 100m fly S10 in 58.21 to add to his victories in the 200 IM and 100 back, as well as a silver medal in the 400 free. The 2016 Paralympian set three personal bests along the way.

Quebec City’s Turbide claimed silver in the men’s 50m freestyle S13 in 25.18 seconds to shatter his own record of 25.41 set on July 22 at the Canadian Trials in Edmonton.

It marked the third national standard in as many nights for the 2016 Paralympian, who had previously set Americas records in the 200 individual medley SM13 and the 100 backstroke S13.

Moments later, Turbide added his fourth personal best of the meet, earning bronze in the 100 butterfly S13 thanks to a 1:00.82 swim, exactly one second faster than his time from the Canadian Trials on July 21.

“It was well under my previous best time in the 50 free from a few weeks ago. It’s nice to see such a big improvement in just a few weeks and how the rest seemed to help,” said Turbide, who ended the competition with four medals, including two gold, one silver and one bronze. “That race prepared me well for my second event of the evening.”

Moncton’s Dorris, the youngest team member at 15, posted a 1:18.20 in the morning preliminaries of the women’s 100 fly S8 to break the previous national record of 1:18.87 set by current Team Canada teammate Morgan Bird at the 2013 world championships in Montreal. She couldn’t quite recreate her performance in the evening final but still took bronze in 1:18.31.

The 2016 Paralympian, whose previous personal best in the event was 1:19.72, had also set a Canadian standard on Sunday in the 100 back S8, claiming silver in the process.

“I’m still very happy with tonight’s swim,” said the Club de Natation Bleu et Or standout, who reached the podium three times (0-1-2) and collected a trio of personal bests in Cairns. “I had an amazing time in Australia. I’d like to thank all of our coaches, and everyone involved with these championships.”

Other Canadian medals on Day 5, all bronze were earned by: Morgan Bird of Calgary in the women’s 50 free S8 (31.81); Danielle Kisser of Delta, B.C., in the women’s 50 free S6 (43.32); Matthew Cabraja of Brampton, Ont., in the men’s 50 free S11 (28.82 – PB); Justine Morrier of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu in the women’s 100 fly S14 (1:13.08); Philippe Vachon of Blainville, Que., in the men’s 100 fly S8 (1:06.49); Tammy Cunnington of Ponoka, Alta., in the women’s 150 IM SM4 (3:35.60 – PB); as well as the women’s 4×100 free relay (34 points) comprised of Rivard, Bird, Katarina Roxon of Kippens, Nfld., and Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont. (4:30.00).

Further details available at swimming.ca and full results can be found 
here: http://liveresults.swimming.org.au/SAL/2018PARP/.