As at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, Aurélie Rivard arrived in Paris as the world champion in the 50m freestyle S10. And once again, the para-swimmer finished this event with the bronze medal around her neck.
The podium step is however the only element that the two performances share, as the Quebecer indicated in the mixed zone of the Paris La Défense Arena.
“Even though I had higher expectations (than bronze), the race was nothing like the one in Tokyo, where everything went wrong and I didn’t feel good before, during and after the final,” said Aurélie Rivard.
The Paralympic athlete has often spoken of a new mindset during this shortened cycle. An approach that involves worrying less in the pool and simply focusing on what she can control.
PHOTO FRANCK FIFE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Silver medalist Christie Raleigh-Crossley of the United States, gold medalist Yi Chen of China and bronze medalist Aurélie Rivard of Quebec
The 2021 bronze medal had left her wanting more at the time. This time, she showed up with a smile, proud to have won the 11e Paralympic medal of his career despite a time of 27.62 s.
“I didn’t have any fun in Tokyo! Today, I put the result aside. […] “I’m really disappointed with my time, but it’s hard not to be happy with the podium! It was really a great experience. The other two swimmers delivered great performances and I have no control over that,” commented the one who, in the last meters of the distance, began to branch off to the right in her lane.
“I felt the cable with my last breath, but I didn’t realize what had happened and I didn’t see the girls around me. I wasn’t thinking about anything during the race, I’ll have to watch it again to see if it can be avoided!”
In the morning, the athlete from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu took second place in qualifying, one tenth of a second behind American Christie Raleigh-Crossley, who set a world record for the S9 category by stopping the clock at 27.28 s.
She also surprised herself by finishing just one hundredth of a second off her world record (27.37s) set at the Rio Paralympic Games in 2016. Something she had not achieved for “a very long time”, according to her, and which reassured her about her physical condition.
It was so much fun with all the spectators and to have a French girl in the race! Nothing to do with Tokyo!
Aurélie Rivard, about the atmosphere at the Paris La Défense Arena
That mark was eventually broken by China’s Chen Yi, who won the gold medal with a time of 27.11 seconds. Christie Raleigh-Crossley took the silver medal with a time of 27.38 seconds.
“I didn’t expect my record to fall by such a big margin! After qualifying, I saw that it was a possibility that I wouldn’t touch the wall first and I had made peace with that,” said Aurélie Rivard. “However, I didn’t expect the Chinese to beat my record! I’m happy for her, she’s been swimming for a long time and records are made to be broken. It was an old record, it was about time it fell!”
A delay of about 20 minutes began to affect Rivard before the final, but that fatigue was nothing like the nervousness he felt in Tokyo three years earlier. His new approach, less focused on the end result and more on the process, was paying off.
“That’s what made the biggest difference,” she concluded.
Also in the 50m freestyle S10, Arianna Hunsicker recorded the 12e qualifying time on Thursday and was unable to advance to the final. She covered the distance in 28.98 seconds. Ontario’s Katie Cosgriffe followed in 13e rank in 29.14 s.
For her part, Clémence Paré ranked 18the qualifications in the 200m freestyle S5. The Quebecer posted a time of 3 min 57.42 s.
Controversial
PHOTO ANDREW COULDRIDGE, REUTERS
Christie Raleigh-Crossley
The interview was drawing to a close when a reporter joined the conversation and asked Aurélie Rivard about silver medalist Christie Raleigh-Crossley.
Raleigh-Crossley, who identifies as non-binary, had just mentioned to the media that she had received derogatory comments ahead of the competition regarding her classification. Having undergone brain surgery in 2018, the U.S. athlete has seen her place in the S9 category sometimes questioned since her Para-swimming debut. This category is reserved for athletes with major weakness in one leg, which can be caused by partial paralysis.
“I heard about what was happening, I hope she has her place in this category and on the podium today. We have to believe in our system, hoping that it works, but I won’t comment further,” said Aurélie Rivard, who is now preparing for the 100 m freestyle scheduled for Saturday.