Paralympics: Gold Medal and World Record for Aurelie Rivard in the 400m freestyle

Aurelie Rivard broke her 2018 world record in the 400-meter freestyle (S10) by more than 5 seconds to win a second gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games on Wednesday.

Revard cut the distance at 4:04:08 and left her opponents behind. She took the lead from the start of the event and was already five meters ahead of her nearest chaser halfway.

“The race went very well. I really wanted to focus on the technical aspects, as I did in the 100 freestyle,” Rivard said. When I noticed I was in front of the other girls, I focused on the black line at the bottom of the pool and finished the race as fast as I could, to see what If I could lower the world record.

“I’m really happy to drop it and win the gold medal,” she added.

The 25-year-old was also a gold medalist in this race 5 years ago, at the Rio Games.

Thanks to this victory, swimmer Barra from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu won his fourth medal in the Japanese capital, including a second gold, after the 100-meter freestyle.

Silver medalist, Hungarian Bianka Pap (4:29.83) is still flirting with Quebec’s previous world mark of 4:29.27. Bronze went to Poland’s Oliwa Jablonska (+9.12 w)

In the S10 400 freestyle, Quebecer Alec Elliot finished fifth. Elliott made a slow start, but managed to go from seventh to fifth at the 200m mark and finish in 4:02:29, just 11 seconds behind the winner, Ukrainian Maxim Kripak.

Aurélie Rivard still has two races on its program in Japan: the 100m backstroke and the 200m individual medley. She won the silver medal in this last event at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

golden throw

Canadian Greg Stewart, for his part, climbed to the top of the podium with an F46 shot.

The 35-year-old from Kamloops, British Columbia, set a new Paralympic record with a throw of 16.75 metres.

“I can’t believe it yet. I don’t have the words. What a great experience. I think I’ll realize what just happened by talking to my family, my friend and my parents,” said Stewart, and then when I get back to the (athletes’ village). I started the test by telling myself I had to Just to have fun. In the end, that’s all that matters. Take care of the rest themselves.”