Canada's Sabrina Duchesne swims to bronze in 400m freestyle for her 1st para world medal
6th podium finish for Canada in 2 days; Morgan Stickney of U.S. lowers world record
Two-time Paralympian Sabrina Duchesne earned her first world championship medal and the sixth for Canada at this year's competition, clocking five minutes 31.17 seconds for bronze in the women's 400-metre freestyle S7 race on Tuesday in Manchester, England.
It is the first major individual international medal for the 22-year-old, who won her first Paralympic medal on Aug. 29, 2021 in Tokyo, swimming to bronze in the 400 relay with Morgan Bird, Katrina Roxon and Aurélie Rivard.
Earlier that day, the native of St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que., lowered her Canadian long-course (50m) record to 5:20.59.
Duchesne was fourth in the event at last year's worlds in Funchal, Portugal and sixth at the 2019 event in London.
Morgan Stickney and Ahalya Lettenberger made it a one-two finish for the United States on Tuesday, with the former shaving nearly five seconds off Australian Jacqueline Freney's 4:59.02 world record from Sept. 6, 2012.
"It was a good race," Duchesne, who aspires to become a lawyer or criminologist, told the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "It's a big achievement for me to get my first medal at the world championships and I'm especially pleased to get it in my best event."
WATCH | Canadian record holder Duchesne claims world bronze:
On Day 1 of competition Monday, Canada's Tess Routliffe, Shelby Newkirk, Nicholas Bennett and Rivard each won gold while Danielle Dorris collected bronze.
Canada head coach Mike Thompson believes his athletes competing Tuesday built off Monday's success,
"Every stroke in the water, every kick, and every breath, builds our momentum," he said. "We're not just a team, we're a wave in motion, growing stronger with each race. And nothing stops a wave once it starts rolling.
"I've been talking to the team about identifying opportunities and capitalizing on them. Sabrina's medal was one of those opportunities tonight and she did not shy away. ... We're on a roll."
Duchesne was sixth in the 400 free in her 2016 Olympic debut in Rio, one year after a bronze performance at the 2015 Para Pan Am Games in Toronto when she was the youngest national team member at 14.
Canada enjoyed its best performance since 2010 at worlds last year when it reached 18 podiums, including six gold.
Other Canadian results Tuesday:
- Aly Van Wyck-Smart (women's 150m individual medley SM3) — 6th, 4:27.86
- Nikita Ens (women's 150 IM SM3) — 8th, 4:32.36
- Shelby Newkirk (women's 100 freestyle S6) — 5th, 1:16.71
- Alex Elliot (men's 200 IM SM10) — 7th, 2:20.53)
Each day's heats and finals at these world championships are being streamed live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem through Sunday. Watch Wednesday's heats from 4-6 a.m. ET and the finals from 12:30-4:15 p.m.
WATCH | Full coverage of Tuesday's finals from Manchester, England:
Team Canada
- Nicholas Bennett (Parksville, B.C.)
- Katie Cosgriffe (Burlington, Ont.)
- Danielle Dorris (Moncton, N.B.)
- Sabrina Duchesne (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.)
- Alexander Elliot (Kitchener, Ont.)
- Nikita Ens (Saskatoon)
- Arianna Hunsicker (Surrey, B.C.)
- James Leroux (Repentigny, Que.)
- Angela Marina (Cambridge, Ont.)
- Shelby Newkirk (Saskatoon)
- Clémence Paré (Boucherville, Que.)
- Aurélie Rivard (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.)
- Tess Routliffe (Caledon, Ont.)
- Katarina Roxon (Kippens, N.L.)
- Jessica Tinney (Scarborough, Ont.)
- Abi Tripp (Kingston, Ont.)
- Jordan Tucker (Guelph, Ont.)
- Nicolas-Guy Turbide (Quebec City)
- Philippe Vachon (Blainville, Que.)
- Aly Van Wyck-Smart (Toronto)
- Zach Zona (Simcoe, Ont.)
