The tears flowed well before B次元官网网址淥 CanadaB次元官网网址� played Friday.

Danielle Dorris captured a gold medal in the 50-metre butterfly at the Tokyo Paralympics in spectacular fashion, breaking the world record twice.

And moments before her medal ceremony, the 18-year-old from Moncton, N.B., called longtime coach Ryan Allen down from the Tokyo Aquatics Centre stands. She asked him to be the one to present her medal.

B次元官网网址淗e started tearing up,B次元官网网址� Dorris said, smiling. B次元官网网址淗aving him here was very special B次元官网网址� that already got me crying, so during the anthem I was just a ball of tears.B次元官网网址�

Dorris touched the wall in 32.99 seconds for her second medal in Tokyo. She also won silver in the 100 backstroke.

Canadian sprinter Marissa Papaconstantinou captured bronze in the womenB次元官网网址檚 100 metres to give Canada 20 medals with two days of competition remaining.

Swim star Aurelie Rivard just missed the medal podium in her final race in Tokyo, finishing fourth in the 200 individual medley. The 25-year-old from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., heads home with five medals B次元官网网址� two gold, a silver and two bronze B次元官网网址� for a career total of 10.

It was a solid finish for a strong swim team that won eight medals at the Paralympics, a month after CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Olympic swimmers claimed six medals.

Dorris, who was born with underdeveloped arms, was spotted by Janet Dunn, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Para-swimming performance pathway coach, when she was just 11. Dunn paired Dorris with coach Allen.

B次元官网网址淚t was very eye-popping immediately that Janet saw something and knew (how good could Dorris could be),B次元官网网址� Allen said.

Two years later at the Rio Games, Dorris became the youngest swimmer ever on a Canadian Paralympic team.

B次元官网网址淥n this trip, kind of as a thank you, I said to Janet that I remembered standing on the deck when she told me about this kid,B次元官网网址� Dorris said. B次元官网网址淛anet made it very clear that (I needed to) learn, get educated, put yourself out there and stay ahead of this kid to try and guide her along the way.

B次元官网网址淎nd so, IB次元官网网址檝e really taken that to heart through the years that I needed to be one step ahead as best as possible.B次元官网网址�

Allen was thrilled when Dorris asked him to present her medal.

B次元官网网址淚 honestly had to turn around and look the other way,B次元官网网址� Allen said. B次元官网网址淏ecause it was emotional. Just to share that with her is extremely cool.B次元官网网址�

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, Dorris tethered herself into her familyB次元官网网址檚 backyard swim spa B次元官网网址� which is swimmingB次元官网网址檚 version of a treadmill or stationary bike B次元官网网址� to train.

She hopes her medals inspire young kids in Canada who have physical impairments.

B次元官网网址淚 truly believe anyone can be successful if they put the hard work into it,B次元官网网址� Dorris said. B次元官网网址淪o, I think having me as an example will definitely help those children who are thinking about joining, maybe take that leap.B次元官网网址�

Like the Olympics a month earlier, COVID-19 prevented family members from travelling to Tokyo. So Dorris is excited to see her dad Jean-Pierre and mom Wanda at the airport.

B次元官网网址淚 am definitely anticipating my mother crying,B次元官网网址� she said with a laugh.

Rivard wrapped up a fabulous Games that got off to a rocky start with a bronze medal in the 50-metre freestyle, an event she expected to win. A couple of days later, after experiencing what she said was the widest range of emotions in such a short time, she bounced back win CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first gold in Tokyo, in the 100 free. She also won the 400 freestyle.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not gonna lie, this was probably the most challenging thing to do,B次元官网网址� Rivard said. B次元官网网址淏ecause how the way I felt on the first day after the 50 free, I wanted to go home, I felt like I had failed myself, my team, my country, and I couldnB次元官网网址檛 explain it. And it got me really worried for the upcoming events because we were only at Day 1.

B次元官网网址淚 just locked myself in my room and I gave myself some space to be upset. But after that, all of my energy went into pretending like it didnB次元官网网址檛 happen.B次元官网网址�

Papaconstantinou, a 21-year-old from Toronto, raced to a personal-best 13.07 seconds in the 100, and waited a few tense moments for her bronze-medal placing to appear on the big screen at Olympic Stadium.

B次元官网网址淚 was like having a conversation with myself in my head. I was like, B次元官网网址業 think I got it.B次元官网网址� But I wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure because I couldnB次元官网网址檛 see who was around me,B次元官网网址� said Papaconstantinou, who was born without a right foot.

B次元官网网址淚 honestly blacked out in that race because I was so focused on the finish line, and pushing all the way through. Those few seconds waiting was definitely tough. But when my name was shown as third, like I freaked out.B次元官网网址�

Amy Watt of Victoria was fifth in womenB次元官网网址檚 long jump.

Three other Canadians made finals on the last day of swimming. Alec Elliot of Kitchener, Ont., was fifth in the menB次元官网网址檚 individual medley, Matthew Cabraja of Brampton, Ont., was fifth in his 100 butterfly, and Morgan Bird of Calgary raced to seventh in the womenB次元官网网址檚 100 butterfly.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 sitting volleyball team will play for Brazil for bronze Saturday after a 3-0 loss to China in FridayB次元官网网址檚 semifinals.

B次元官网网址淚f you told me we would be playing for a medal, after just squeezing in with our last-chance qualifier last year (in February of 2020), I donB次元官网网址檛 think I would have believed you,B次元官网网址� said team captain Danielle Ellis of White Rock, B.C. B次元官网网址淏ut this team has shown immense growth in the last two years and weB次元官网网址檙e ready to compete for a medal.B次元官网网址�

The fifth-ranked Canadians have never won a Paralympic medal.

In canoe, Brianna Hennessy of Ottawa was fifth in the 200 metres.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 wheelchair basketball team finished fifth after a 68-49 victory over Japan.

Rosalie Lalonde of Saint-Clet, Que., led the way with 20 points, while Kady Dandeneau of Pender Island, B.C., had 14.

The Canadian men finished eighth after a 68-56 loss to Germany. Bo Hedges of Wonowon, B.C., had 16 points while Colin Higgins of Rothesay, N.B., added 12.

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- Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press