Canada’s Danielle Dorris secured a silver medal in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Walnut, Calif. Dorris, a two-time Paralympic champion from Moncton, N.B., led from start to finish, finishing in 34.42 seconds, just shy of her own world record of 32.99 seconds in the S7 category.
Despite Dorris touching the wall first, the gold medal went to Katie Kubiak of the United States, who accumulated more points. In the morning preliminaries, Kubiak set a new world record for the S5 category with a time of 37.21 seconds. Dorris’s teammate, Mallory Weggemann, claimed the bronze medal with 926 points.
The Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships employ a points system to determine winners across various impairment categories. Dorris expressed her happiness at winning Canada’s first medal at the event, highlighting the significance of her achievement.
Additionally, Dorris contributed to a Canadian record in the mixed 4×100 medley 34-point relay. The team, comprising Fernando Lu, Katie Cosgriffe, Reid Maxwell, and Dorris, secured a bronze medal with a time of 4:40.11, breaking the previous national record.
In the men’s competition, Toronto’s Sebastian Massabie earned a bronze medal in the 50-meter butterfly S5-7 event. Massabie, the S4 Olympic champion, set a strong performance despite finishing with the slowest time in the field.
Nicholas Bennett, another Canadian swimmer, clinched a silver medal in the men’s 200 freestyle S2-5 event. Bennett, known for his success at the 2024 Paralympics, showcased his talent once again at the Pan Pacific Championships.
The championships mark an important step for athletes aiming to compete at the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. Canadian swimmer Ken Stroud also demonstrated his skill, finishing second in the men’s 100 free S4-6, S8, S10, S12 category.
The Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships serve as a crucial platform for athletes to test their abilities in preparation for future international competitions. The event’s competitive atmosphere and warm conditions provide valuable experience for swimmers like Dorris, Massabie, Bennett, and Stroud as they pursue their Paralympic dreams.