Canada shows its Paralympic power with five medals on Day 2
Para-swimmer Aurélie Rivard broke the world record en route to the gold medal in the women's S10-50-m freestyle while wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos added a victory in the men's T53 100-m wheelchair race on Friday at the Paralympic Games.
The victories highlighted a five medal performance for the Canadian team today, its first podium appearances of the Games.
Rivard, a 20-year-old from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., clocked 27.37 seconds in the race to finish ahead of arch rival Sophie Pasco of New Zealand.
"I am not sure I realize it yet," Rivard said. "I don't know whether to laugh, jump or throw up. It's my first event and I've broken the world record and won. I'm in heaven."
There were four other Canadian finalists at the pool: Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., and Sarah Mehain of Vernon, B.C. were fifth and seventh in the women's S7 50-m freestyle; Nathan Stein of Surrey, B.C., and Alec Elliot of Kitchener, Ont., were fifth and eighth in the men's S10 50-m freestyle and Nathan Clement of West Vancouver, B.C. was sixth in the men's S6 50-m butterfly.
After setting a Games record 14.43 in the morning heats, Lakatos nearly repeated the time clocking 14.44 for the victory for his first career Paralympic Games gold medal in four appearances for the 36-year-old paraplegic from Dorval, Que.
'I had a good start then after 30 m I could see in my peripheral vision that they were falling behind slightly and I told myself "to hold on " and I made it," he said. "This is amazing"
There was more hardware in athletics for Canada as Alister McQueen of Calgary took the silver in the men's F44 javelin. The 25-year-old below-knee amputee made his best throw in the fifth of six rounds at 55.56 metres.
"I dreamed about this victory," said McQueen, who set personal bests on four throws. "Over the last six months I knew I could achieve that dream if I put things together."
Ness Murby of Salt Spring Island, B.C. was sixth in the women's F11 discus. Josh Cassidy of Port Elgin ranked seventh in the T54 5000 morning heats and advances to the final on Sunday morning.
Canada's first medal of the Games was earned at the velodrome by Ross Wilson of Sherwood Park, Alta., who took the silver in the men's C-1 3000m individual pursuit. A few minutes later Tristen Chernove of Powell River, B.C., duplicated the feat in the men's C-2 3000m individual pursuit.
Both Canadian riders were beaten by Chinese riders in their gold medal finals.
It's hard not to be really happy to be on the podium and among the world's best athletes," said Chernove. It's wonderful. At the same time, you really want to be on your best form and have your best performance on the day. I've got a lot to learn when it comes to these type of events. Certainly I didn't have my best rides today and that's hard."
In the C3 3000m individual pursuit, Michael Sametz of Calgary, Alta. took fourth spot falling to Eoghan Clifford of Ireland in the bronze medal race.
It was good start for Canada in rowing as the LTA Mixed Coxed Four with Victoria Nolan, of Toronto, Ont., Meghan Montgomery of Winnipeg, Man., Andrew Todd, of Thunder Bay, Ont., Curtis Halladay, of Sudbury, Ont., and coxswain Kristen Kit of St. Catharines, Ont., were second in their heat and will compete in the repechage on Saturday morning.
It was an historic day for Canada in women's sitting volleyball as it made its Games debut in the sport. Powerful Brazil beat the Canadians 25-7, 25-12, 25-14.
In table tennis, Stephanie Chan of Richmond, B.C. evened her record at 1-1 in women's class 7 singles defeating Anne Barneoud of France 11-8, 13-11, 11-9.
The Canadian men dropped to 0-2 in men's wheelchair basketball dropping a 49-32 decision to the Netherlands. Nik Goncin of Regina led the Canadians with 12 points.
Both the Canadian men and women opened their goalball tournaments. The men lost 11-3 to Brazil and the women 12-4 to Turkey.
In wheelchair tennis, Philippe Bédard of Bromont, Que., lost first round match 6-0, 6-1 to David Phillipson of Britain.
RIO DE JANEIRO _ What Canada Did on Friday at the 2016 Paralympic Games(distances in metres):
Para-athletics
Men's T53 100m: Brent Lakatos, Dorval, Que., wins gold medal. Jean-Philippe Maranda, Ste-Aurélie. Que., was 16th in heats and did not advance.
Men's F44 javelin: Alister McQueen, wins silver medal with best throw measured at 55.56 metres
Women's F11 discus: Ness Murby, Salt Spring Island, B.C. places sixth in final
Men's T54 5000m: Josh Cassidy, Port Elgin, Ont., seventh overall in first round heats and advances to final on Sunday at 10:15 a.m.
Men's C1 3000 individual pursuit: Ross Wilson, Sherwood Park, Alta., wins the silver medal losing the final to Zhangyu Li of China.
Men's C2 3000 individual pursuit: Tristen Chernove, Powell River, B.C. wins the silver medal losing the final to Guihua Liang of China.
Men's C3 3000 individual pursuit: Michael Sametz, Calgary, finishes fourth after losing bronze medal race.
Women's preliminary – Canada lost to Turkey 12-4 in its opening game
Men's preliminary – Canada lost 11-3 to Brazil in its opening game
LTA Mixed Coxed Four: Canada (Victoria Nolan, Toronto, Ont.m Meghan Montgomery, Winnipeg, Man., Andrew Todd, Thunder Bay, Ont., Curtis Halladay, Sudbury, Ont., and coxswain Kristen Kit St. Catharines, Ont., second in their heat, move to repechage.
Men's S7 50 freestyle: Jean-Michel Lavallière, Quebec City, 10th in heats and did not advance.
Women's S7 50 freestyle: Tess Routliffe, Caledon, Ont., and Sarah Mehain, Vernon, B.C. were fifth and seventh in the final.
Men's S6 50 butterfly: Nathan Clement, West Vancouver, seventh in final.
Men's S10 50 freestyle: Nathan Stein, Surrey, B.C. and Alec Elliot, Kitchener,Ont., fwere fifth and eighth in the final. Isaac Bouckley, Port Hope, Ont., was 13th in heats and did not advance
Women's S10 50 freestyle: Aurélie Rivard, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Que., wins gold medal in world record 27.37 seconds. Samantha Ryan, Saskatoon was 18th in heats and did not advance.
Women's S9 400 freestyle: Katarina Roxon, Corner Broook, N.L., was 11th in heats and did not advance.
Women's S8 100-m butterfly: Danielle Dorris, Moncton, N.B., was 10th in heats and did not advance.
Women's preliminary – Canada lost to Brazil 3-0 (25-7, 25-12, 25-14) in its opening match.
Women's Class 7: Stephanie Chan, Richmond, B.C. def. Anne Barneoud, France 11-8, 13-11, 11-9 to improve to 1-1 in preliminary round play.
Men's preliminary – Canada loses 49-32 to the Netherlands to drop to 0-2 in preliminary round play.
Men's singles: Philippe Bédard, Bromont, Que., lost first round match 6-0, 6-1 to David Phillipson, Britain.
Canadians in action on September 10, 2016 at the Paralympic Games in Rio (all times Rio time)
3 p.m.: Kevin Evans (Jaffray, B.C.) men's open ranking round
3 p.m.: Mixed team open compound open ranking round
3 p.m.: Karen van Nest (South Bruce Peninsula, Ont.), women's open ranking round
11:04 a.m.: Michelle Stilwell (Parksville, B.C.) women's T52 400m FINAL
12:31 p.m.: Ilana Dupont (Saskatoon) women's T53 400m heats
6:43 p.m.: Brent Lakatos (Dorval, Que.) and Jean-Philippe Maranda (Ste-Aurélie, Que.) men's T53 400m heats
7:20 p.m. : Mitchell Chase (Pickering, Ont.) men's T38 1500m FINAL
Boccia (preliminary round)
12:40 p.m.: mixed pairs BC4 – Canada (Iulian Ciobanu, Montreal; Marco Dispaltro, St-Jérôme, Que.; Alison Levine, Montreal) vs Brazil
12:40 p.m.: mixed pairs BC 3 – Canada (Éric Bussière, Verchères, Que.; Bruno Garneau, Montreal; Marylou Martineau, Quebec City) vs South Korea
5:20 p.m.: mixed pairs BC 3 – Canada (Éric Bussière, Verchères, Que.; Bruno Garneau, Montreal; Marylou Martineau, Quebec City) vs Brazil
6:50 p.m.: mixed pairs BC4 – Canada (Iulian Ciobanu, Montreal; Marco Dispaltro, St-Jérôme, Que.; Alison Levine, Montreal) vs China
4:30 p.m.: Ross Wilson (Sherwood Park, Alta.), and Michael Sametz (Calgary) men's C 1-2-3 1000m time trial FINAL
5:30 p.m.: men's preliminary – Canada vs Germany
10 a.m. Tony Walby (Ottawa, Ont.), round of 16, men's 91 kilos. Medal round at 3:30 p.m.
10:50 a.m.: repechage LTA Mixed Coxed Four Victoria Nolan (Toronto), Meghan Montgomery (Winnipeg), Andrew Todd (Thunder Bay, Ont.) Curtis Halladay (Sudbury, Ont.) and coxswain Kristen Kit (St. Catharines, Ont.)
12:15 p.m.: Doug Blessin (Tri-City, B.C.) mixed 10-m air rifle qualifying SH2 – final at 2:45 p.m.
9:37 a.m.: Camille Bérubé (Gatineau, Que.) women's SB7 100-m breaststroke – final at 5:37 p.m.
9:42 a.m.: Sarah Mehain (Vernon, B.C.) and Tess Routliffe (Caledon, Ont.) women's SB7 100-m breaststroke – final at 5:37 p.m.
9:51 a.m.: Nathan Clement (West Vancouver) men's S6 50-m freestyle – final at 5:44 p.m
10:07 a.m.: Danial Murphy (Bedford, N.S.) men's S5 50-m butterfly – final at 5:56 p.m.
10:15 a.m.: Tammy Cunnington (Red Deer, Alta.) women's S5 50-m butterfly – final at 6:03 p.m.
10:43 a.m.: Devin Gotell (Antigonish, N.S.) men's S13 200-m individual medley – final at 6:54 p.m.
10:47 a.m.: Tyler Mrak (Aldregrove, B.C.) men's S13 200-m individual medley – final at 6:54 p.m.
11:07 a.m.: Benoit Huot (Longueuil, Que.) men's S10 100-m backstroke – final at 7:24 p.m.
11:11 a.m: Alec Elliot (Kitchener, Ont.) men's S10 100-m backstroke – final at 7:24 p.m.
10 a.m.: Stefan Daniel (Calgary) men's PT4 FINAL
10 a.m..: Stephanie Chan (Richmond B.C.) vs Seong-Ok Kim (South Korea) preliminaries women's Class 7
9:30 a.m.: women's preliminary – Canada (1-0) vs Argentina (0-2)
3:15 p.m.: men's preliminary – Canada (0-2) vs Australia (2-0)
#CANADARED
Aurélie Rivard
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