Sebastian Massabie breaks his own Canadian record at 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials

Photo courtesy of Swimming Canada

MONTREAL – Paris 2024 Paralympic champion Sebastian Massabie of Surrey, B.C., cruised to victory in the men’s 50m butterfly multiclass final on Monday night with a Canadian S5 record time of 35.21, lowering his own mark of 35.83 he set in Winnipeg back in April at the at 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials.

The 21-year-old representing the Pacific Sea Wolves was reclassified as an S5 athlete after the 2024 Paralympic Games, where he captured S4 gold in the 50m freestyle. Massabie set world standards in both the 50m free and 50m fly in that category.   

“It feels real good,” said Massabie, who was competing in his first event this week. “I have high expectations for myself. But above all, every time I jump in the pool, I just make sure that I give it my best.

“The 50 fly is one of my favourite events. It’s the event in which I beat my first world record as an S4.”

Click HERE for Sebastian Massabie interview with CBC

In other Para swimming multiclass finals, Danielle Dorris of Moncton, N.B. (Club de Natation Bleu et Or) was crowned champion in the women’s 50m butterfly; Aurélie Rivard of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. (Club de Natation Région de Québec) won the women’s 100m free; andReid Maxwellof St. Albert, Alta. (CAMO) took the men’s 100m free title

Aurélie Rivard lays down the law

Rivard, a 13-time Paralympic medallist over four Games, graduated last week with a Law Degree from Université Laval. She sat out last season to focus on her studies.

‘’It’s been very challenging to juggle both of these demanding fields,’’ Rivard told CBC’s Devin Heroux at poolside. ‘’I just graduated last Saturday so it’s very exciting for me to celebrate something other than swimming for once, but it also marks my comeback to the national team full time.’’

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Rivard, 30, says her sport experience helped her immensely in the classroom.

‘’What I learned in sport served me so well at school,’’ she said. ‘’and I think it will continue to do so in the future.  I think it’s important to have ambitions and dreams outside of sport. It’s only healthy and helps my relationship with the sport.’’

More than 680 athletes are competing at the five-day event, which is used to select several Canadian squads including the one for the Para Pan Pacific Championships (Aug. 28-30 in Walnut, Calif.).

CBC Gem, CBC Sports  and ICI TOU.TV stream each session beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET for heats and 5:30 p.m. ET for finals.

With files from Swimming Canada and CBC