It was another successful day in Paris for Canada’s Paralympic athletes.
Canada added three more medals to its tally, including a pair of golds that were won by athletes who don’t call British Columbia home.
After the country’s first four gold medals of the Paris 2024 Paralympics were won by British Columbians, it was a pair of athletes from Quebec who topped the podium today.
In the pool it was Aurelie Rivard who earned her sixth career Paralympic gold and 13th medal overall with a first-place finish in the women’s 400m freestyle S10.
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“This one's extra special,” she said post-race. “It's one thing to be young and chase and go for the first gold medal, but to defend titles, it's harder each time.”
It wasn’t Canada’s only medal in the pool on Thursday, as Ontario’s Tess Routliffe earned bronze in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 for her second medal in Paris.
The other Canadian to win gold today was Brent Lakatos, who wheeled his way onto the top of the podium on the Stade de France track with a time of 1:37.32 in the men’s T53 800m.
It’s the second gold and 13th overall medal for the 13-time Paralympian, who won a silver earlier in the Games.
Lakatos, who overcame a rib injury from earlier in the year, said he feels good and it’s been a long road back to the top.
“I’ve never had a serious injury like that before, so it’s been a really different experience,” he explained.
“Lots of doubts, moments where I didn’t even know if I’d be here, then getting back into it, training, feeling the excitement building. I’m really lucky to be here, really happy, and it’s just an amazing feeling.”
It was an unfortunate day of results on the team side, as Canada’s men’s wheelchair basketball team and women’s sitting volleyball teams both dropped semifinal matchups and will now play for bronze.
The women’s wheelchair basketball team will try to avenge their countrymen as they get set to take on Netherlands in the semis on Friday.
