Canada's Valerie Grand'Maison celebrates her second gold medal of the Beijing Paralympics following her victory in the women's 400-metre freestyle S13. (Greg Baker/Associated Press)Canadian Valérie Grand'Maison continued her terrific start to the Beijing Paralympics by winning her second gold medal of the competition in the women's 400-metre freestyle for the S13 visually impaired on Monday.
Grand'Maison, who won the 100 butterfly Sunday, smashed the world record with a time of four minutes 28.64 seconds.
The Montreal swimmer was dominant in the race as she easily outdistanced Russian Anna Efimenko by 8.73 seconds. Hamilton's Chelsey Gotell and American Kelley Becherer both earned a bronze medals after touching the wall in 4:37.50.
"I couldn't be happier," said Grand'Maison, a first-time Paralympian. "This pool is perfect and the atmosphere is electric. It is so exciting to race here."
Grand'Maison, 19, who began losing her eyesight at 12 due to macular degeneration, trains with the CAMO club at Claude Robillard Centre.
The rising star exploded onto the international scene over the last two years and now owns five world records in 100, 200, 400 and 800 freestyle events, plus the 400 individual medley.
Women's race to be re-run after Canadian claims gold
Canada's Diane Roy won a gold medal in the 5000 T54 for wheelchair track athletes, setting a Paralympic record in the process. But the race is going to be re-run on Friday because Monday's event was marred by a spectacular crash.
The crash involved six racers, including Canadian Tracey Ferguson. She wasn't seriously injuried and will compete, as planned, in the women's wheelchair basketball competition.
Victoria's Dixon swims to bronze, du Toit breaks Paralympic record
In the women's 100 freestyle for the S9 athletes with a physical disability, Victoria resident Stephanie Dixon won her 14th career Paralympic medal following a bronze-medal effort in a Canadian-record time of 1:03.89.
"I've been chasing a best time in this event for six years," said Dixon. "I'm so excited. All the hard work I've put in over the last few years went into that race."
South African sensation Natalie du Toit won gold by setting a Paralympic record of 1:01.44, while Great Britain's Louise Watkin swam to silver in 1:03.85. It was the second gold medal in two days for du Toit, who won the 100 butterfly on Sunday. She's attempting to win five gold medals in Beijing.
Dixon is one of the most decorated Canadian athletes ever to compete at the Paralympic Games. Prior to the Beijing Games, she won 13 medals, including six golds. Despite being born with one leg, she began competing against able-bodied athletes at 13, and made Canada's national team for swimmers with a disability a year later.
Du Toit, who won five gold medals and a silver at the Athens Paralympics, is one of the more amazing stories at the Games. A motorcycle accident in 2001 forced amputation of her left leg at the knee. However, that didn't stop the 28-year-old swimmer from finishing 16th in the women's 10-kilometre marathon at the Beijing Olympics that ended Aug. 24.
B.C. equestrian rider jumps to silver
Lauren Barwick of Langley, B.C., won her first career medal after finishing second in the women's Equestrian.
Barwick earned the silver in the Individual Championship - Grade 2 for athletes with reasonable balance and abdominal control including amputees.
German Britta Naepel won the competition and C.C. Nielsen of Denmark jumped to a bronze medal.
At total of 41 medals were awarded during the second day of competition. China leads with 28 medals overall, including eight gold. Canada sits in fifth with nine medals and three gold.
In other Canadian results:
- Kyle Pettey of Brampton, Ont., finished 10th in the men's discus.
- Jean Paul Compaore of Sherbrooke, Que., and Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg advanced to the next round in the men's 400 metres. (Jeff Adams didn't compete.)
- Josh Cassidy of Port Elgin, Ont., advanced in the men's 5,000.
- Michel Filteau of St. Jean Baptiste, Que., and Mark Ledo of Maple, Ont., did not advance.
- Ottawa's Jason Dunkerley failed to advance in the men's 800.
- Daniel Chalifour of Lac-des-Ecorces, Que., and his guide Alexandre Cloutier of St-Antoine-de-Tilly, Que., finished 7th in the men's kilo para-cycling final.
- Brian Cowie of Burnaby, B.C., and guide Devon Smibert of Calgary were 8th.
- Stephane Cote of Quebec City and his guide Pierre-Olivier Boily of Roberval, Que., were 13th.
- Eric Bourgault of Orford, Que., and Mark Breton of Charlesbourg, Que., were eliminated in the qualifying round of the men's individual pursuit.