Post Paris brings fresh outlook for Trinity Lowthian

OTTAWA – After her remarkable breakthrough at the 2024 Paralympic Games, Para fencer Trinity Lowthian took this season to carve out her path not only in her sport but also her professional career.

On Tuesday, at only her second international competition this season, the 23-year-old from Ottawa collected two wins and two losses to place ninth in the women’s wheelchair epee B at the Para fencing world championships currently taking place in Iksan, South Korea.

She changed her approach for the 2025 season.

‘’This build-up has been at a different pace,’’ she said about preparing for worlds. ‘’I’ve been taking things a lot easier trying to be more well-rounded with the sport and just having a life outside of fencing.’’

Exactly a year ago, Para fencing got underway at the Grand Palais in downtown Paris. Three days later (September 6, 2024) before more than 5,000 spectators,  Lowthian stunned the Para fencing community by eliminating the second and third seeds to place fifth.

It was Canada’s best ever Paralympic Games result in the sport.

‘’Paris was a whirlwind,’’ she said. ‘’I’d been working for years just to qualify and suddenly you’re on the biggest stage in the world. I learned a lot about handling pressure and about myself as an athlete.

‘’It wasn’t just about competing once and checking a box. It was about proving I belong here and proving to myself I can go further.’’

In Paris, Lowthian displayed her skills in two weapons: epee and sabre. In 2025, with school, her work at the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and surgery disrupting her training, she has focused on epee as her weapon of choice.

‘’I’m sticking with what I enjoy the most,’’ said Lowthian.  ‘’In Paris I learned that my best fencing comes when I’m just enjoying myself. If I’m having fun, the results will follow. It’s not just practical, it’s also strategic. I don’t need to spread myself too thin.’’

With programs like Game Plan, high performance athletes in Canada are being encouraged to get a step ahead in their future endeavors after their sports career. While the next Paralympic Games and perhaps beyond are still on her radar, Lowthian wants to ensure a smooth transition from the battlefield.

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‘’I like when I’m busy,’’ she said. ‘’I’m starting a Masters in sport management this fall. It’s my way of giving back to the community that’s given me so much and picking up skills I’ll need beyond sport.’’

Through the Pfizer Para sport internship program, Lowthian has been employed by the Canadian Paralympic Committee with the Athlete Services and Engagement team. In addition, she’s teaching the sport at the Ottawa Fencing Club and is helping launch a provincial Para fencing circuit for Ontario.

On the piste Tuesday, she earned two wins and two losses despite a very tough draw. She opened with a 15-6 victory over Emily Holder of Great Britain. In the round of 16 she lost to neutral athlete Viktoria Boykova, a 2017 world champion and a two-time Paralympic Games medallist, 15-7.

That put the Canadian in the repechage where she beat three-time Paralympian Cecile Demaude of France 15-4. Next was three-time Paralympic champion and four-time world champion Shumei Tan of China and Lowthian lost 15-4.

‘’I am so impressed with my showing and even more excited for the potential for growth in my fencing career,’’ said Lowthian after her matches.  ‘’I was coming into this competition a month post abdominal surgery and with only a light training volume over the past few months.’’

Lowthian also earned a bronze back in February at a World Cup in Brazil. She’ll end the 2025 season ranked fifth in the world.

 ‘’I am proud of myself and my amazing community of teammates, coaches, and supporters for getting me to this point,’’ she said. ‘’I’m looking forward to what the next season holds and where my potential will take me.’’

Lowthian’s 2025 season proved that success isn’t just measured in medals, but also in balance—sharpening her blade on the piste while building a future beyond it, with both paths pointing forward.