Kyle Tremblay a quarterfinalist in Para archery, Austin Smeenk moves into 100m final. Women’s goalball, wheelchair basketball teams wrap up prelims.
Para swimmer Aurelie Rivard and wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos each earned silver medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on Sunday to bring their respective career podiums to 12 apiece. The Canadian Paralympic Team’s total is now eight medals through four days of competition.
MEDALS WON ON SEPTEMBER 1
SILVER – Aurelie Rivard, Para swimming, women’s 100m freestyle S10
SILVER – Brent Lakatos, Para athletics, men’s T53 400m
OVERALL MEDAL TOTAL
GOLD – 0
SILVER – 4
BRONZE – 4
TOTAL – 8
RESULTS SUMMARY
Para Swimming
Aurelie Rivard claimed silver in the women’s 100m freestyle S10 for her second medal of Paris 2024 (alongside a bronze) and 12th career Paralympic podium. Fourth at the 50m split, she moved up two spots but could not catch France’s Emeline Pierre for the gold, finishing 0.33 seconds behind in 1:00.82.
“The first thing that I saw when I walked on deck was my family, and it was so special to share the moment with them,” said Rivard, who is the world record holder in this distance. “Also being able to be on the podium with a French girl in a French stadium with French people made it so much more amazing. I was happy for her. I’m so happy to see how many people there are and how happy and excited they are for Paralympic swimming.
“I’m so happy to be able to be in the moment and really enjoyed it, despite me having higher expectations for myself. But it will always be special to be on the podium for Canada and race in front of thousands of people, especially in front of my family.”
In the morning heats, four swimmers did not advance out of the heats: Alexander Elliot and Fernando Lu in the men’s 100m freestyle S10, Arianna Hunsicker in the women’s 100m freestyle, and Reid Maxwell in the men’s 200m individual medley SM8.
Para Athletics
Brent Lakatos earned his first medal of the Paris Games, a silver in the men’s T53 400m. For the wheelchair racer, competing in his sixth Paralympic Games, it is his 12th career medal.
After qualifying with the fourth-best time of 49.04 in the heats, he improved to 47.24 seconds and second place in the final. The silver matches his result from the Tokyo 2020 Games in this event.
“This is the first Games where I’ve had an injury, a serious injury, coming in,” said Lakatos, who had a rib injury this season. “And so the preparation wasn’t perfect, and I had to come back with lots of questions in my head about, could I do it? Could I come back? What would my form be like. And so now I’m lucky to be able to answer them, and it’s going quite well.”
“You’re always chasing the gold, but silver under these circumstances, I can’t complain too much about it.”
In other Para athletics action, three-time Paralympian Austin Smeenk, in his first race of Paris 2024, finished first in his heat and with the fourth-best time overall (15.38 seconds) in the men’s 100m T34 qualifying. He moves into the final, set for Monday morning.
Making her Paralympic debut was Julia Hanes, who finished eighth in the women’s F34 javelin throw.
Para Archery
Kyle Tremblay just missed out on the semifinals in the men’s compound open, losing to the world No. 1 in a shoot-off. Tremblay, in his first Paralympic Games, and opponent Rakesh Kumar of India were tied 144 apiece following five ends. Both athletes hit 10s in the shoot-off but Kumar’s arrow was closer to the centre to claim the win.
Earlier in the day, Tremblay – ranked world No. 9 – had advanced to the quarterfinals following a 149-139 win over Poland’s Michael Meier.
“I think it’ll take some time to let this sink in, I was really hoping to get to that extra round and see if I could get a medal,” said Tremblay. “But it is my first Paralympics, so just getting here was very special. And to do it with Linda [Price], my coach, was even more special. I think this has just fueled me even more for Los Angeles and my training will just improve and I will improve, and you can expect a better Tremblay for 2028.”
Wheelchair Rugby
Canada defeated Denmark 56-46 in its first placing game and will now play for a final position of fifth place. The squad won each quarter against the Danes, setting themselves up for a strong finish in the tournament, which wraps up Monday.
“We just took the evening, did a reset, got together as a group and decided to play the way we usually play a game,” said team member Anthony Letourneau of the team’s regrouping after not advancing into the semifinals. “We discussed the game plan and came away with an easy win.”
Goalball
It was a scoreless 0-0 draw in Canada’s final round-robin goalball game against Japan. With a record a 1-1-1, the team finishes second in their pool to move into the quarterfinals, set for Tuesday.
“I think the main thing is that we just were able to defend,” said team member Whitney Bogart. “It was just a defensively strong game. Our defense couldn’t have been any more perfect. We had nothing that we were concerned about. Everything was smooth.”
Wheelchair Basketball
The Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team finished group play with a dominant performance against Spain, winning 81-49. Kady Dandeneau led the score sheet with 36 points and 12 rebounds, with Arinn Young and Cindy Ouellet adding 23 and 14 points respectively. With a 2-1 record, the team finishes second in their group ahead of moving into the quarterfinals, set for Wednesday.
Para Table Tennis
Peter Isherwood dropped a 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 3-11 decision to Poland’s Tomasz Jakimczuk in Para table tennis men’s Class 2 round of 32 action. For Isherwood, it was his first-ever Paralympic match.
Para Rowing
Jacob Wassermann finished fourth in the PR1 men’s single sculls B final to end his first Paralympic Games.
CLICK HERE for the complete results on Sunday September 1.
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