Canadian Athletes Shine at the Paralympic Games in Paris

PARIS — Danielle Dorris, a 21-year-old swimmer from Fredericton, Canada, has achieved remarkable success at the Paralympic Games. Competing in the women’s 50 meters S7 event, she claimed the gold medal with a time of 33.62 seconds on Saturday.

Expressing her joy, Dorris remarked, ‘I am thrilled. I am very happy.’ The silver medal in the event was awarded to American swimmer Mallory Weggemann, while Italian swimmer Giulia Terzi secured the bronze medal. Canadian athlete Tess Routliffe narrowly missed the podium after previously winning multiple medals earlier in the Games.

Having made her Paralympic debut at just 13 years old in Rio de Janeiro, Dorris has come a long way. She reflected on her experience at the 2016 Games, stating, ‘I had no idea what was going on; I was in shock, just there to experience it.’ Dorris also noted the challenges of competing without an audience in Tokyo 2020, but emphasized that her journey has only made her stronger.

Competing alongside Dorris, Canadian swimmer Shelby Newkirk won a bronze medal in the women’s 100 meters backstroke S6 with a time of 1:22.24. Chinese swimmer Yuyan Jiang set a new world record, finishing in 1:19.44, while American swimmer Ellie Marks took home the silver medal.

Newkirk, who was diagnosed with dystonia at the age of 13, expressed pride in her achievements despite the challenges posed by her condition, which affects her mobility and coordination.

In addition to Dorris and Newkirk, paracanoeist Brianna Hennessy also made headlines by winning her first Paralympic medal, a silver, in the women’s 200 meters sprint at the Games. Hennessy, who carries her late mother’s memory with her on her paddle, finished just over a second behind gold medalist Emma Wiggs from Great Britain.

A resident of Ottawa, Hennessy sustained a serious injury when she was struck by a taxi in 2014, resulting in tetraplegia. Reflecting on her ten-year journey since the accident, Hennessy stated, ‘This is the culmination of everything I have fought for. It was worth it.’