Aurélie
Rivard

Aurélie Rivard has been a dominant force on Canada’s Para swimming team and one of its most decorated athletes for over a decade.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Rivard claimed a medal of each colour in S10 freestyle events, including gold in the 400-m, silver in the 100 and bronze in the 50, to up her career total to 13 Paralympic podiums (6-4-3) across four Games.

After Paris, she decided to focus on completing her law studies at Université Laval. In 2026 she earned her law degree and will begin her bar studies in the fall.

Also in 2026, Rivard returned to competition and competed at the Canadian Swimming Trials and will compete at the Parapan Pacific Championships in California.

Rivard’s illustrious career includes 19 world championship medals, making her the most decorated Canadian woman in Para swimming World Championships history.

At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Rivard was a standout, winning gold in the 50m, 100m, and 400m freestyle, setting two world records, and serving as Canada’s flag-bearer for the Closing Ceremony.

At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, Rivard continued her success with five medals, including gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle S10, silver in the 400m freestyle S10, and bronze in the 100m backstroke S10 and the 4×100m freestyle relay.

Rivard has also set multiple world records, including in the 400m freestyle S10 at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in 2018 and twice in the S10 200m freestyle at the World Para Swimming World Series in Berlin in 2017.

Her first major international breakthrough came at the 2012 London Paralympic Games, where she won a silver medal in the 400m freestyle at just 16 years old. Rivard has also been recognized as Swimming Canada’s Para Female Athlete of the Year multiple times.

Career Highlights

2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 Paralympic Games… Finalist for the Northern Star Award as Canada’s 2016 Athlete of the Year… 2015 Parapan Am Games… 2010, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023 IPC World Championships…2014, 2018, 2022 Commonwealth Games… Swimming Canada’s Para Female athlete of the year in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022. As of August 2026, she holds the world records in the 100, 200 and 400 freestyles in the women’s S10 category.

Personal

Has a twin sister Charlotte… … Her father André Rivard played goal in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League… In 2026, completed her law degree at Université Laval… Discovered by coach France Latendresse…

Results

2024 Paralympic Games 400m freestyle 1^st

2024 Paralympic Games 100m freestyle 2^nd

2024 Paralympic Games 50m freestyle 3^rd

2023 World Championships 50m freestyle 1^st

2023 World Championships 50m freestyle 1^st

2022 World Championships 50m freestyle 1^st

2022 World Championships 100m freestyle 1^st

2022 World Championships 100 backstroke 3^rd

2022 Commonwealth Games 200m individual medley 2^nd

2020 Paralympic Games 100m freestyle 1^st

2020 Paralympic Games 400m freestyle 1^st

2020 Paralympic Games 100m backstroke 2^nd

2020 Paralympic Games 50m freestyle 3^rd

2020 Paralympic Games 4X100m freestyle relay 3^rd

2019 World Championships 50m freestyle 1^st

2019 World Championships 100m freestyle 1^st

2019 World Championships 400m freestyle 2^nd

2019 World Championships 100m backstroke 3^rd

2019 World Championships 4X100m freestyle relay 3^rd

2018 Commonwealth Games 200m individual medley 2^nd

2016 Paralympic Games 400m freestyle 1^st

2016 Paralympic Games 100m freestyle 1^st

2016 Paralympic Games 50m freestyle 1^st

2016 Paralympic Games 200m individual medley 2^nd

2012 Paralympic Games 400m freestyle 2^nd