PARIS – Nicholas Bennett emptied the tank to win gold and Reid Maxwell broke his Canadian record twice for silver Wednesday as two Canadian men won medals on the same day at the Paralympics for the first time in 16 years.
Bennett, of Parksville, B.C., earned his second gold and third medal of the Paris 2024 Games by winning the 200-metre SM14 individual medley in a Paralympic record time of 2:06.05. The reigning world champion was just .08 off his world record of 2:05.97 set in May at the Olympic & Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell.
Maxwell, of Edmonton, battled Italy’s Alberto Amodeo to finish second in the 400-m S8 freestyle. His time of 4:23.90 knocked another 2.5 seconds off the Canadian and Americas record he swam to lead all qualifiers in the morning preliminaries.
Bennett was third after the opening 50 metres of butterfly in the four-discipline IM race. He had a body-length lead after the breaststroke then cruised to victory in the freestyle, finishing 2.56 ahead of silver medallist Rhys Darbey of Britain. Ricky Betar of Australia was third in 2:08.69.
Bennett described the last 50 metres as painful.
“I had to hammer the last 50, lose whatever I had left in the tank,” said the 20-year-old, who is coached by his sister Haley Bennett-Osborne at the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club.
Earlier in the week Bennett won gold in the 100-m breaststroke plus took silver and broke his own Canadian record in the 200-m freestyle.
“I was certainly a lot more comfortable racing tonight,” he said. “I knew there was a chance being so close to my record.”
Bennett is the first Canadian man since Benoit Huot to win multiple gold medals at a Paralympics.
Huot won five gold at the Athens 2004 Paralympics. He also was the last Canadian man to win three medals at a Paralympics, taking home gold, silver and bronze from London 2012.
“I’m quite aware of Benoit before me,” said Bennett. “I hope my performances inspire kids to join the sport. We need more.”
Bennett actually raced Huot at the 2018 Canadian trials.
“That was my first selection meet,” he said. “I didn’t make the team. It was a quite an experience racing against a legend like that.”
Bennett will race the 100-m backstroke on Friday, an event in which he holds the Canadian record.
Maxwell led early in the grueling 400 freestyle then went toe-to-toe with Amodeo down the stretch. He touched the wall just .67 behind the Italian who was the silver medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Andrei Nikolaev, a neutral Paralympic athlete, was third in 4:24.00.
“I’ve always kind of dreamed to come here,” said Maxwell, who is coached by Paul Birmingham at the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club. “Being able to medal here is a whole other thing. That fight for the last 50 made it worth it. I’m happy with it.
“There’s been lots of steps along this journey. Tonight was a mental game going in. I felt confident. I’m super happy with how I performed.”
Maxwell, who celebrated his 17th birthday Monday, becomes the youngest Canadian swimmer to win a Paralympic medal since a 16-year-old Aurelie Rivard claimed silver in the 400 S10 freestyle at the London 2012 Games.
He’s the youngest Canadian male to earn a medal since Donovan Tildesley claimed bronze in the 200 SM11 IM as a 16-year-old at Sydney 2000.
Maxwell and Bennett are roommates in Paris. He was able to watch Bennett win his race in the ready room before his event.
“It was something seeing my roommate win a medal right before me,” said Maxwell. “We get to go back to the village tonight both medallists. It’s certainly an experience.”
The last time two Canadian men won a Paralympic medal on the same day was at Beijing 2008 when Huot and Tildesley both earned bronze.
“That’s kind of crazy,” said Maxwell. “That was a long time ago.”
Maxwell has two more events in Paris. He will race the 100-m freestyle on Friday and the 100 fly on Saturday. He holds the Canadian record in both events.
In another final, Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., was eighth in the 100-m S7 freestyle in 1:13.90.
Routliffe, who trains with Simon Deguire at the High Performance Centre – Quebec in Montreal, said the race helps set her up for Thursday’s 100-m breaststroke. She won that event at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships and holds the Canadian record.
“I just get to have fun with this one,” said the 25-year-old, who earned a silver medal in the 200m IM earlier in the week. “It’s great to get back in the water, get the crowd again, feel the energy.
“I came here to maximize my potential. Let’s hope we do that.”
Canadian Para swimmers have won eight medals in Paris (two gold, four silver, two bronze). That equals the total Canada won three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics (three gold, three silver, two bronze).
Rivard of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., has a silver in the S10 100-m freestyle and a bronze in the 50-m free. Katie Cosgriffe of Burlington, Ont., was third in the 100-m S10 butterfly.
On Thursday Rivard will be looking for her third medal in the 400-m S10 freestyle. She has won the race at the last two Paralympics and holds the world record time of 4:24.08.
Abi Tripp of Kingston, Ont., will join Routliffe in the 100-m SB7 breaststroke.
Katarina Roxon of Kippens, N.L., and Mary Jibb of Bracebridge, Ont., will compete in the 200-m S9 individual medley.
A team of 22 athletes is representing Canada in Paris.
For full results please see https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/paralympic-games/schedule/para-swimming?day=4-september
People wishing to watch the Paralympics can tune in for CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage in English on CBC, CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website (cbc.ca/paris2024) and the CBC Paris 2024 app for Android and iOS devices. In French on ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV, Radio-Canada’s Paris 2024 website (Radio-Canada.ca/jeux-paralympiques), and the Radio-Canada Paralympiques app for Android and iOS devices.
The swimming competition ends Saturday.