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, California, marking Canada’s first medal at the event. Dorris, a two-time Paralympic champion from Moncton, N.B., led from start to finish, clocking 34.42 seconds, just shy of her S7 world record of 32.99 seconds.
Despite Dorris touching the wall first, the gold medal went to Katie Kubiak of the United States, who scored 1,060 points compared to Dorris’s 941. Kubiak set a new world record in the S5 category during the morning preliminaries with a time of 37.21 seconds. Dorris’ compatriot, Mallory Weggemann, claimed the bronze with 926 points in the final.
The Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships use a points system to determine winners, factoring in the closeness of a swimmer’s time to the designated world record for their class. Dorris, who was born with bilateral radial dysplasia, expressed her joy at winning Canada’s first medal at the event. She also highlighted her satisfaction with her performance despite not achieving the desired time.
In another event, Dorris contributed to a Canadian record in the mixed 4×100 medley 34-point relay, securing a bronze alongside Fernando Lu, Katie Cosgriffe, and Reid Maxwell. The team’s time of 4 minutes and 40.11 seconds surpassed the previous national record set in 2023. Dorris emphasized her excitement at medaling in a relay internationally for the first time.
Sebastian Massabie from Toronto clinched bronze in the men’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final, earning 837 points. Massabie, who holds the S4 Olympic title in the same event, set a time of 36.07 seconds, the slowest in the field. He broke multiple Canadian records and a world record at the 2024 Paralympic swimming trials.
Nicholas Bennett, with 981 points, secured a silver in the men’s 200 freestyle S2-5 event, finishing behind Gabriel Bandeira from Brazil. Bennett, who won gold in the 100 breaststroke SB14 and the 200 individual medley SM14 at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, continues to excel in the pool.
Ken Stroud from Richmond, B.C., earned second place in the men’s 100 free S4-6, S8, S10, S12, with Japan’s Akito Minai taking the top spot. Stroud, who was selected for the Canadian national team based on his performance at the Canadian trials, showcased his talent in California.
The Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships provide a crucial stepping stone towards the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles, offering athletes valuable competitive experience under similar conditions. Team Canada’s Nicolas-Guy Turbide highlighted the significance of the event for preparing athletes for future competitions.