Canada's Aurelie Rivard capped a successful run at the IPC Swimming World Championships with a gold medal in the S10 400-metre freestyle on Sunday's final day of competition.
The 19-year-old Rivard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., finished in a Canadian record time of four minutes 34.06 seconds. That shaved 2.40 seconds off the old record she set at the 2012 London Paralympics.
"I have been fighting for this title for three years," said Rivard, who won two gold and two silver medals during the meet. "I couldn't be happier.
"When I touched the wall I saw the number one and couldn't believe it. I thought there was a mistake. I couldn't ask for a better meet."
Rivard said her world championship performance fuels the fire for next month's Parapan American Games in Toronto.
"It gives me lots of confidence," she said. "I am heading to Toronto with peace of mind. I'm just going to have fun and try to beat my record as much as possible."
Meanwhille, veteran Benoit Huot, probably swimming his last world championship race, won a silver in the men's S10 400-metre freestyle.
Huot, who is competing in his seventh world championships, won silver in 4:11.55. It was the third podium finish of the meet and 32nd world championship medal for the 31-year-old from Longueuil, Que.
Alec Elliot of Waterloo, Ont., was seventh in 4:25.06.
Huot choked up when asked if this was his last world championship podium.
"It's true," he said. "I actually thought about that on the bus."
Also Sunday, 16-year-old Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., finished fourth in the S7 50-metre freestyle.
It was Routliffe's fourth fourth-place finish of the meet. She called her first world championship a learning experience.
"I have learned to handle my nerves in a way where I can use them to push me instead of break me," she said. "I learned how to race people and not just race yourself."
Canada finished the championships with 12 medals: two gold, five silver and five bronze.
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