Cosgriffe claims Canada’s 12th medal on final day of Para worlds

(Photos: Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)

SINGAPORE – (Swimming Canada) Katie Cosgriffe made it an even dozen for Canada on Saturday as the World Para Swimming Championships came to a close at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in Singapore.
 
The Burlington, Ont., native claimed silver in the women’s 100-metre backstroke S10 to up the Canadian delegation’s podium count at the seven-day WPS meet to 12, including two gold, three silver and seven bronze medals.  
 
The 19-year-old contributed to that tally twice as she had previously captured bronze in the 100 butterfly on Day 5.
 
“I’ve thought about this race every single day since my fifth-place finish last summer in Paris,” said an emotional Cosgriffe. “I was so devastated after that swim, I knew that I never wanted to feel that way again.  
 
“This entire season, the focus has been on this race. I’m just super happy to win my first major international medal in this event. It’s been such a struggle for me over the past few years that to be where I’m at right now feels amazing.”
 
After lowering her personal best to 1:08.08 in the morning preliminaries, Cosgriffe took it to yet another level in the evening final with a 1:07.37 swim.
 
Trailing Türkiye’s Defne Kurt by 0.55 at the turn, the Canadian outpaced her rival coming back but came up 42 hundredths short. Kurt claimed her remarkable fifth title of the week in 1:06.95.
 
Bianka Pap, the reigning Paralympic champion and defending two-time world titlist from Hungary, took bronze in 1:07.85.
 
“I’m just really happy with how I raced tonight,” said Cosgriffe, who represents Wilfrid Laurier University, coached by Cathy Pardy, as well as the Oakville Aquatic Club, coached by David Tontini.
 
“Obviously, I was going for gold. I got out-touched. Defne is an amazing swimmer and I knew she’d be tough to beat. I just slightly felt short but I gave it my all and I’m just so happy to come out of this with a medal.”
 
Asked how she managed to deliver when it counted the most this week, the double medallist had a simple answer.
 
“I think I swim well when I’m having fun. If I let my nerves overcome me, that’s kind of where I tense up. My entire focus this week has just been on enjoying myself, enjoying the moment, and just having fun in the water. I’ve done that, and I had an amazing week.”

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