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Kirstie Kasko of Okotoks, Alta., earned Canada’s first gold medal in swimming on Monday evening.
It was another productive for day for the Canadian swimmers with nine medal performances for a two-day total of 14.
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Kirstie Kasko
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Kasko took top spot in the women’s 200-metre freestyle in the S14 sport class for athletes with an intellectual disability. She clocked two minutes and 25.40 seconds with Beatriz Resendiz of Mexico second in 2:30.25 and Jana Murphy of Victoria third in 2:30.99. Meagan Michie of Metcalfe, Ont., took eighth spot.
“I really wanted to show Canada what I could do,’’ said Kasko, 19, who bettered her personal best by four seconds. “This is my 13th year of swimming and I was aiming for something big. My legs were strong and I cut down on my gliding with my arms.’’
Canada collected two medals in two other races as well.
In the women’s S9 100 breaststroke, Hanna Smith of Calgary and Kennedy Pasay of Leduc, Alta., took silver and bronze respectively with Alicia Denoon of Guelph, Ont., fourth.
“I thought I definitely had a good race,’’ said Smith, 14, who beat her personal best by six seconds. “This was my only race of the competition and I felt some pressure to do really well. I really saw the improvement coming over the past two weeks in training.’’
Adam Rahier of Nanaimo, B.C., and Maxime Rousselle of St. Alexandre, Que., were also second and third in the S14 100 freestyle with Dalton Boon of Ladner, B.C., fifth.
Canada’s other three medals were bronze earned by Danielle Kisser of North Delta, B.C., in the women’s S6 100 breaststroke with Jenna Lambert of Kingston, Ont., eighth. Thomas Swinkels of Lower Sackville, N.S., won bronze in the men’s S9 100 breaststroke, with Micah Mykitiuk of Toronto fifth. Chris Sergeant of Kingston, Ont., won a bronze medal in the men’s S8 50 freestyle.
“This was pretty awesome,’’ said Swinkels, 17, who started swimming only two years ago. “I never expected to win a medal. It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the competition.’’
Other Canadian finalists in men’s competition were Nicolas-Guy Turbide of Quebec City sixth in the S13 50 freestyle; Zack McAllister of Lethbridge, Alta, Sergeant and Jean-Sébastien Lapointe of Repentigny, Que., seventh, eighth and 10th in the S8 100 breaststroke. Nik Tolgyesi of Kingston and Chris Daniel of Calgary were ninth and 10th in the S6 100 breaststroke.
For the women, Kisser was fifth in the S6 200 individual medley and Catherine Mitchell of Winnipeg ninth in the S12 50 freestyle.
‘’It’s a different dynamic to come here with a young group,’’ said Craig McCord, Swimming Canada’s Para-swimming head coach. “’The kids have stepped it up a notch, capitalized on their opportunities and are winning medals.’’
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