Canadian Paralympic champion Danielle Dorris secured Canada’s initial medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships by clinching the silver in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final in Walnut, California. Leading from start to finish, the Moncton, N.B. native touched the wall first in 34.42 seconds, narrowly missing her own world record of 32.99 in the S7 category.
Despite Dorris’s impressive performance, the gold medal went to Katie Kubiak of the United States, who accumulated 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’s teammate, Mallory Weggemann, secured the bronze with 926 points in the final.
In a unique scoring system at the Para Pan Pacs where points are awarded based on proximity to world records, Dorris expressed her delight at winning Canada’s first medal. Born with bilateral radial dysplasia, Dorris reflected on her achievement with satisfaction, despite not achieving her target time.
Dorris, a two-time Paralympic champion, also contributed to a Canadian record in the mixed 4×100 medley 34-point relay event later that evening. This victory, alongside teammates Fernando Lu, Katie Cosgriffe, and Reid Maxwell, earned them a bronze medal with a time of 4 minutes 40.11 seconds, surpassing the previous national record set in 2023.
Sebastian Massabie from Toronto clinched bronze in the men’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final, garnering 837 points. The Surrey, B.C. resident has cerebral palsy affecting his left side and previously broke multiple Canadian records at the 2024 Paralympic swimming trials.
Nicholas Bennett, hailing from Parksville, B.C., secured a silver medal in the men’s 200 freestyle S2-5 category, earning 981 points. Bennett, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age, showcased his talent with multiple medal wins at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
Ken Stroud, representing Richmond, B.C., finished second in the men’s 100 freestyle S4-6, S8, S10, S12 event, trailing behind Akito Minai from Japan. Stroud, alongside 19 other Canadian swimmers, earned a spot on the national team following their exceptional performances at the Canadian trials.
The Para Pan Pacific Championships serve as a crucial stepping stone for athletes aiming to compete at the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. Canadian team captain Nicolas-Guy Turbide emphasized the significance of the event for testing strategies under similar conditions.