At the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Walnut, California, Canadian Paralympic champion Danielle Dorris secured Canada’s first medal by winning the silver in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final. Dorris, hailing from Moncton, N.B., maintained her lead throughout the race, finishing first in 34.42 seconds, just shy of her own world record of 32.99 seconds in the S7 category.
Despite Dorris’s strong performance, Katie Kubiak from the United States claimed the gold medal with 1,060 points compared to Dorris’s 941 points. Kubiak set a new world record for the S5 category with a time of 37.21 seconds in the morning preliminaries. Dorris’s teammate, Mallory Weggemann, earned the bronze with 926 points.
The Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships use a points system to determine winners across various impairment classes, focusing on the proximity of a swimmer’s time to the designated world record for their specific category. Dorris, who was born with bilateral radial dysplasia, expressed her joy at winning Canada’s first medal and her satisfaction with her performance despite facing challenges throughout the year.
In another event, Dorris contributed to a Canadian record in the mixed 4×100 medley 34-point relay, earning a bronze alongside Fernando Lu, Katie Cosgriffe, and Reid Maxwell. This achievement marked a significant improvement from the previous national record set in 2023. Dorris reflected on the excitement of medaling in a relay event internationally for the first time.
Sebastian Massabie, representing Canada in the men’s 50-meter butterfly S5-7 final, secured the bronze with 837 points. Massabie, who has cerebral palsy affecting his left side, previously broke records at the 2024 Paralympic swimming trials.
Nicholas Bennett clinched a silver medal in the men’s 200 freestyle S2-5 category, with Gabriel Bandeira of Brazil taking the gold. Bennett, who has autism spectrum disorder, showcased an impressive performance, adding to his collection of medals from previous competitions.
The Para Pan Pacific Championships serve as a crucial step for athletes on the path to the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. Canadian swimmer Nicolas-Guy Turbide emphasized the significance of competing in similar conditions to prepare for future competitions. The event, which marks the return of the Para Pan Pacs since 2018, provides valuable experience for athletes aiming for success on the international stage.