Proud athletes return home

They had their flight delayed and had to wait for long minutes at the carousel before being able to collect their luggage, but the wait was worth it.

A few athletes from the Canadian Paralympic team returned home Monday at noon, at Montreal-Trudeau airport, after about ten days of competition in Paris. A fruitful stay during which Canada collected 29 medals, including 10 gold.

A small Maple Leaf flag here, a warm hug there, the atmosphere in the terminal was one of celebration. Smiles were abundant among the athletes, happy to reconnect with their loved ones and return home. Swimmer Tess Routliffe, for example, did not hide her excitement at the idea of ​​”sleeping in [son] own bed and food [sa] own food”.

Canada’s performance at these Games was also a source of satisfaction for the Ontarian, who won silver in the 200m individual medley SM7 and bronze in the 100m breaststroke SB7. The country won nine more medals in total than at the previous edition in Tokyo in 2021.

“We had some young medallists who were in their first year. We had some veterans who did exactly what they were supposed to do. I’m honestly very proud of Canada,” she said.

Demons exorcised

Among the small delegation that arrived in Montreal on Monday, Aurélie Rivard was by far the most in demand. It’s understandable: the swimmer is returning home with a trio of medals in her pocket, including gold in the 400m freestyle S10.

As she entered the terminal, the 28-year-old athlete was quick to exchange a hug with her parents, who had traveled to Paris to watch her competitions. Even the mayor of her native Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Andrée Bouchard, came to offer her a bouquet of flowers and a “certificate of pride” from the municipality. “She makes Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu shine.” […] “She is an example for young people,” the elected official described.

Despite her successes, the main person concerned described the Paris Games as a “roller coaster”. “On a personal level, there were good times and bad times. But also, it was such a great experience. Paris did really well in terms of organization,” she said.

Rivard obviously said she was happy to have won a third consecutive Olympic title in the 400m, her “favorite event.” But above all, to have achieved the feat after having to abandon the 2022 World Championships.

“It was extremely difficult to come back from that,” she admitted. “I literally had to relearn how to be comfortable in the water, which was challenging and difficult.”

“For me, it also shows all the work I did on myself in advance to be able to represent myself and regain some of the confidence I had for the 400m,” Rivard continued.

Her mother, Nadine Galipeau, had to hold back a few tears as she described how proud she was of her daughter. “She fought, and she finally got what she wanted. It wasn’t an easy two years. She thought she wouldn’t be able to do the 400m freestyle again. It’s hard for a mother,” she said.

Tribute to the French public

Aside from their sporting successes, Canadian athletes were also struck by the reception they received from the French public. A sign, they say, that interest in Paralympic sports is on the rise. And quite a contrast, let’s say, with the Tokyo Games, which were played in front of empty stands in the middle of a pandemic.

“Honestly, the French crowd was crazy,” Routliffe said, emphasizing the last word. “Sold out, stadiums full… Swimming was crazy. I’ve never had crowds that big, that loud, that excited. The French showed up.”

“I was in Rio in 2016, and the Brazilians were definitely loud and crazy, but it was a smaller crowd,” she continued. “And in Tokyo, there was no one there. Paris showed how much people want to be there, and that they are entertained by watching our sport.”

“We really realized the value of what we lost in Tokyo, [en ayant] Games a little colder, a little less warm with all the restrictions, observed Rivard. There, I really noticed how much all the athletes wanted to be there and were happy to be there. The people too, they were happy to see us.

Here’s hoping for these athletes that Americans will be just as wild in Los Angeles in 2028.