Danielle
Dorris

Since she made her Paralympic Games debut at age 13 at Rio 2016, Danielle Dorris continues to be a force on Canada’s Para swimming team.

At the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, the fourth of her career, Dorris captured an S7 medal of every colour, including gold in the women’s 50-m butterfly in championships record time (33.93), silver in the 100 backstroke and bronze in the 50 freestyle.

Dorris’ triumph in the 50 fly made her only the third Canadian in history to win the same event at three straight world championships.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the third of her career, Dorris successfully defended her Paralympic title in the 50-m butterfly.

She became the first Canadian female swimmer in history to win back-to-back Paralympic titles in a butterfly event, and the first Canadian to do so since Walter Wu in 1996 and 2000 (men’s 100 fly B3).

Dorris took home four medals at the Para World Swimming Championships in Manchester, including gold in the 100-metre backstroke, 50-metre butterfly (championship record), a silver in the 50-metre freestyle as well as bronze in the 200-metre individual medley.

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Danielle Dorris won gold and set a world record in the women’s 50-m butterfly and captured silver in the 100-m backstroke.

At the 2016 Games, she was the youngest member of the entire Canadian team.

Career highlights

2016, 2020, 2024 Paralympic Games (two gold and one silver)…. 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 world championships (4-3-2)… Named New Brunswick’s female of the athlete of the year in 2024… Swimming Canada’s 2025 Female Swimmer of the Year in the Paralympic program… As of August 2026, holds world record in S7 50 butterfly and the short course world marks in the S7 50 fly and 50 backstroke.

Personal

Dorris was born with underdeveloped arms, a condition known as bilateral radial dysplasia…. Recipient of the Senate of Canada’s 2018 Sesquicentennial Medal in the province of New Brunswick. She received the award for her contributions to Paralympic Swimming and as a mentor to children with disabilities…

Notable international results

2025 World Championships 50m butterfly 1^st

2025 World Championships 100m backstroke 2^nd

2025 World Championships 50m freestyle 3^rd

2024 Paralympic Games 50m butterfly 1^st

2023 World Championships 100m backstroke 1^st

2023 World Championships 50m butterfly 1^st

2023 World Championships 50m freestyle 2^nd

2023 World Championships 200m individual medley 3^rd

2022 World Championships 50m butterfly 1^st

2022 World Championships 100m backstroke 2^nd

2020 Paralympic Games 50m butterfly 1^st

2020 Paralympic Games 100m backstroke 1^st