Para-swimming World Series | Tess Routliffe wins the 50m backstroke

Tess Routliffe (SB7) won the gold medal on Saturday in the 50m backstroke at the World Para Swimming Series, held in Berlin, Germany. Fourth in qualifying with her haul of 929 points, the Quebecer improved her fortunes in the final, completing the distance in 40.68 seconds, a time good for 974 points and a world record in the category.

In this competition format, athletes of different classifications compete against each other and the score is then adjusted according to their handicap.

The British Iona Winnifrith (SB7), aged only 13, finished second, thereby establishing a new European mark by stopping the clock at 40.71 seconds. The Brazilian Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago (SB12) completed the podium.

Abi Tripp (SB7) finished sixth in this final while Clémence Paré (SB5) was slowed down in qualifying where she ranked 36^e.

Routliffe won the bronze medal on Friday in the 100m breaststroke.

Bronze for Aurélie Rivard

Gold medalist Friday in the 200m freestyle, Aurélie Rivard (S10) added a bronze medal to her collection by finishing third in the 50m freestyle final.

Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago, who lowered the world record in the S12 category to 26.61 seconds, and Karolina Pelendritou (S11), from Cyprus, are the only two athletes who did better than the Quebecer in the final.

Rivard was the fastest among the athletes in her category with her time of 27.74 seconds, which earned her 852 points.

In the B final, Arianna Hunsicker (S10) placed second. Abi Tripp, for his part, took 32^e rank of qualifications.

Sabrina Duchesne (S7) also participated in a final on Saturday after her fifth place during qualifying in the 400m freestyle. The athlete from Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures finally finished sixth in the final which was won by Briton Maisie Summers-Newton (S6).

Action resumes Sunday in Berlin for the final day of competition in this leg of the World Series.