Aurelie Rivard has added another world record to her collection.
Canada’s top Para-swimmer set a world record in the S10 200-metre freestyle Thursday at the 2017 Berlin World Para Swimming World Series. Rivard finished in two minutes, 10.98 seconds. That lowered the old mark of 2:11.17 set by France’s Elodie Lorandi in August 2016 in Berlin.
“I was aiming for that record for a year and a half,” said Rivard. “I’m happy I finally got it.”
The 21-year-old native of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., already holds the world records in the 50-m and 100-m freestyle, both set at last year’s Rio 2016 Paralympic Games where she won three gold and a silver medal.
The 200-m freestyle isn’t a Paralympic event. Rivard set the old Canadian record of 2:12.58 last July at the Speedo Can Am Para-swimming Championships in Gatineau, Que.
“I don’t really train for it,” said Rivard. “It’s kind of like a long sprint.
“The last few weeks I have been focusing on the events I have here. I have been doing a lot more quality in the pool. I always swim fast when I get off the continent. I had people to race next to me and it pushed me during the race.”
Vince Mikuksa, senior coach with Swimming Canada’s Paralympic program, said Rivard swam a smart race.
“She executed exactly what she said she would do,” he said. “She had a great last 50 (metres) which I think sets her up for the rest of the meet.”
James Leroux of Repentigny, Que., who trains at the Center Sportif Parc-Olympique – INS in Montreal, set a Canadian and America’s Record in the S9 100-m breaststroke. Leroux’s time of 1:09.76 broke the old record of 1:10.03 the 19-year-old set at the Rio Paralympics.
The Berlin meet features multi-class finals. Winners in each race are determined by a points system depending on a swimmer’s class. A swimmer with a slower time can win a race on points even if they are from another class.
In Rivard’s race, she had Oliwia Jablonski, an S10 swimmer from Poland in one lane near her and German S12 swimmer Maike Schnittger in another.
“We got here two days ago and I’m still very jet-lagged,” said Rivard. “I was not expecting to break the world record (but) I’ll take it.”
Nine Canadians are competing in the meet, which ends Sunday.
Rivard swims the 100-m freestyle on Friday, then the 50-m and 400-m Saturday.
Mikuksa was also impressed with Danielle Kisser’s race. The 20-year-old S6 swimmer from Delta, B.C., who now trains at the CHP-Que., was timed in 1:46.88 in the C Final of the 100-m breaststroke. That’s close to her Canadian record time of 1:46.27 set at the 2013 IPC World Championships in Montreal.
Kisser underwent surgery in the fall of 2014 to straighten her legs. The procedure involved breaking bones in her legs.
In other results:
· Alec Elliott, Kitchener, Ont., (S10) 1:00.39 in A final of the 100-m butterfly
· Tess Routliffe, Caledon, Ont. (S7) 1:40.05 in B final of 100-m breaststroke
· Camille Berbube, Gatineau (S7) 1:45.26 in C Final of 100-m breaststroke
· Philippe Vachon, Laval, Que., (S8) 1:07.77 C Final 100-m butterfly
Press release courtesy of Swimming Canada.
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