Canadian Para swimmers win three medals, including gold, at 2025 Youth Parapan American Games

SANTIAGO, Chile – Alyssa Smyth of Orangeville, Ont., won the gold medal in the junior women’s 100-m freestyle in Para swimming action on Thursday at the 2025 Youth Parapan American Games.

It was one of three medals for the Canadian Para swimmers on the day.  

Smyth, a visually impaired swimmer, clocked 1:03.46 for the victory in the eight-woman final. The swimming races at these Games are multi class races but divided between junior (under 16) and senior levels.

Also on the podium for Canada in the pool was Roy Pan of Victoria with silver in the senior men’s 50 butterly and Lucas Van Herk of Chilliwack, B.C., with bronze in the senior men’s 200 freestyle.

The Games got underway last Friday in the Chilean capital and continue through to Sunday. Canada has fielded a 38-member team in five sports: Para table tennis, wheelchair basketball, goalball, boccia and Para swimming.

Canada’s medal count overall now stands at two gold, two silver and three bronze.

Canada advances to men’s gold medal game in men’s wheelchair basketball

Team Canada sealed its spot in the gold medal game in men’s wheelchair basketball with a convincing 79–49 victory over Brazil on Thursday at the Games.

With the semifinal win, Canada improved to 6-0 and will face Argentina for top spot in the men’s 5-on-5 tournament on Friday at 5:30 p.m. EST. The gold medal game will be a rematch of Wednesday’s 51-42 come-from-behind victory.

The match can be streamed live on the Americas Paralympic Committee YouTube page.

“Against Argentina better shooting will be our goal along with continued defensive play of being hard on chairs,” said head coach Darrell Nordell.

Nasif Chowdhury led the way on Thursday with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting and added seven assists and four rebounds in the victory. Brandon Louie followed closely with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Ibrahim Odza chipped in a double-double, recording 10 points and 10 assists to go along with six rebounds.

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Canadians advance to one final and three third place matches in boccia

Andrew Woodrow of St. John’s, N.L., has won all three of his matches in men’s BC4 to advance to the final in boccia competition at the Games.

Woodrow, 18, defeated Isaac Geovanni of El Salvador  5-2  in the semifnal. He’ll face Jose Santos of Brazil in the final.

Headed to the bronze medal matches are Joe Philpott of St. John’ N.L., in men’s BC1, Carter Plumb of Brampton, Ont., in men’s BC3 and Fatima Abderrahmane of Montreal in women’s BC3.

Para swimming competition continues to Saturday and boccia pairs competition goes Saturday and Sunday to conclude the Games.

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Team Canada roster