Routliffe's title defence highlights 3-medal day for Canada at Para swimming worlds

Canada added three more medals to its ledger at the Para swimming world championships on Wednesday in Manchester, England.

Tess Routliffe won her second-straight gold in the women's SB7 100-metre breaststroke, while Abi Tripp snagged silver in the same race and Nicholas Bennett earned a silver of his own in the men's SB14 100 breaststroke.

Canada has now won nine medals at the meet.

Routliffe, of Caledon, Ont., touched the wall in one minute 31.91 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of Tripp at 1:34.39.

"I'm super happy that I was able to defend my title and be able to put down a good race. I was thrilled that I had Abi there with me. It's honestly an amazing feeling being able to race, but being able to race a teammate just brings that level up," Routliffe said.

The victory marks Routliffe's second gold medal of the meet after also winning the women's SM7 200 individual medley on Monday. The 24-year-old won three medals, one of each colour, at the 2022 world championships after missing the Tokyo Paralympics a year earlier due to a back injury.

WATCH | Routliffe, Tripp reach podium:

Tess Routliffe and Abi Tripp finish 1st and 2nd at the Para worlds

1 year ago

Duration 4:21

Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., won her second gold medal and teammate Abi Tripp of Kington, Ont., captured silver in the women's 100-metre breaststroke at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, England.

For Tripp, of Kingston, Ont., it's her first individual medal at worlds, having also won bronze in a relay in 2019.

The 22-year-old missed out on the podium at each of her previous two major meets.

"I'm just so happy to be here tonight. To race against Tess means the world. We just have so much fun with it and I'm so excited for what we're going to keep doing. This is just a stepping stone," Tripp said.

Meanwhile, Bennett also earned his second medal of the meet by clocking a personal-best time of 1:04.41. The Parksville, B.C., native previously won his first career world gold in a freestyle event.

Wednesday's silver medal is the fourth of the 19-year-old's career at worlds.

"It feels amazing. It's been something we've been working on the entire year," Bennett said. "I'm just kind of at a loss of words. It's been really hard to digest what just happened. I just feel amazing."

WATCH | Bennett earns silver:

Nicholas Bennett swims to silver at the Para worlds

1 year ago

Duration 3:58

Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C., won the silver medal in the men's 100-metre breaststroke, in an America's record time of 1:04.41 at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, England.

Later, Aurélie Rivard of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., withdrew from the women's S10 400 freestyle final "for personal reasons that required immediate attention," said Swimming Canada. 

"She is well supported by the team and will regroup and get ready for the rest of her championships."

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.)