It was an indescribable feeling for Quebecer Aurélie Rivard.
The 28-year-old athlete from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu won the women’s 400m freestyle in the S10 category in four minutes and 29.20 seconds on Thursday at the Paris Paralympic Games.
Rivard thus became the first Canadian woman to win gold in the same event at three consecutive Paralympic Games since Stephanie Dixon in the 100m backstroke in the S9 category in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
“It’s unbelievable right now because it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done — preparing for this race,” Rivard said. “Especially mentally — since the 2022 world championships when I wasn’t able to complete the race, but also because I had a tough start to the week with two disappointing performances.”
“I had to find my confidence to be in the starting blocks tonight and deliver the goods. It was difficult, and I’m very proud of it. I’m happy that I managed to overcome my fears,” she added.
This is Rivard’s third medal at the Paris Games, and she also set the Paralympic record in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo 2021 Games. She also won silver in the 100m freestyle and bronze in the 50m freestyle in the French capital.
However, after her poor performance in the 100m freestyle on Sunday, Rivard considered leaving Paris. She clocked 1:00.82, noting it was the first time in a decade she had finished the event in more than a minute.
She holds the world record in this event at 58.14 seconds, a time achieved at the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021.
“I thought about going home after the 100 freestyle,” she said. “Then I went to bed and had a really good talk with my coaches and my team. I just had to remind myself that I was the swimmer to beat in this event. I had to focus on myself.”
“Forget where you are, forget about the other girls, which is hard because you’re at the Paralympics. But that’s what I did,” she continued.
American Alexandra Truwit (4:31.39) and Hungarian Bianka Pap (4:35.63) completed the podium, in that order.
Routliffe celebrates his medal with his family
A few minutes before Rivard’s feat, Tess Routliffe also reached the podium for Canada in para swimming.
Routliffe won bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke in the SB7 category, doubling her haul in Paris. The para-swimmer from Caledon, Ont., had won silver in the women’s 200m individual medley in the SM7 category.
Routliffe, 25, was able to celebrate her latest medal win with her sister, Erin, who arrived in Paris in time after competing in the US Open.
“I saw her in the stands and I said hello. My whole family is here. It’s so wonderful to see her here. I’m glad she’s here,” said Tess Routliffe, who also noted that her other sister, Tara, has also attended every one of her races in Paris.
” She [Tara] has always been there, so I have to tip my hat to her. Everyone talks about Erin, but she’s always been there, by my side,” she added with a laugh.
Erin Routliffe and partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa were the defending U.S. Open women’s doubles champions but fell to Veronika Kudermetova of Russia and Hao-ching Chan of Taiwan in the quarterfinals.