By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer

Aurélie Rivard has won the most medals of any woman in Canadian Paralympic swimming with a total of 14 Paralympic medals — six gold, four silver, and four bronze. She has won another 19 world championship medals and holds a plethora of world record titles to her name. She’s an inspiration to swimmers everywhere! 

As a 28-year-old Paralympian from Saint-Jean-sur Richelieu in Québec, Rivard is a powerhouse in the pool and has been swimming professionally for over a decade. Having been born with an underdeveloped left hand, she’s part of the S10, SB9, and SM10 Para-athletic classifications. She has stated that swimming throughout childhood was an escape from being bullied for her disability. Since then, she’s found a sense of belonging within the Para swimming community and made waves in the pool by scooping up more medals and records than one can count. 

Over 12 years into her swimming career, Rivard has been one of the top athletes to watch on the international stage. She has competed in four summer Paralympic games — London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. In Paris, she brought home another three medals — one of each colour. Although, I’m sure the best part was when she returned home from the games to see the newly-named Piscine Aurélie-Rivard — the pool where she trained as a child. What a milestone. 

Rivard holds world records for the S10 100m, 200m, and 400m freestyle, as well as Canadian records for multiple events. She first made a splash in the pool by placing on the podium at London 2012, scooping up a silver medal. Since then, she has placed on the podium at all Paralympic games she’s attended, alongside multiple world championships, Commonwealth Games, and Para Pan American Games.

Remarkably, Rivard has been awarded Female Para-Swimmer of the Year by Swimming Canada five times — from 2014 to 2016 consecutively, in 2019, and in 2021. Her training grounds are at Club de Natation Région de Québec. As a senior member of Team Canada, coached by Marc-André Pelletier, it’s no wonder she has such a legendary career.

When not taking laps and breaking records in the pool, Rivard is busy studying as a law student at Univerisité​ Laval. Talk about having a lot on your plate! Before she makes her next splash — whether in the pool, her future in the courtroom, or anything in between — she’ll be sure to continue to make waves when it comes to her career highlights and records overall. 

To Aurélie Rivard — it’s clear to see why you’re such a legend already at such a young age, and you’re not finished with your professional swimming career quite yet.

Félicitations!