Canada raises the bar

Team passes Tokyo medal totals with two days of competition to spare

- 

PARIS Canada surpassed its total medal count and gold medal tally from the Tokyo Paralympics with two days remaining in Paris.

Wheelchair racer Cody Fournie earned his second gold of the Games, while discus thrower Jesse Zesseu took silver, both at Stade de France. In the pool, Sebastian Massabie struck gold for Canada’s 11th swimming medal.

Canada is up to 23 medals and eight golds, after winning 21 in total and five golds in Tokyo three years ago.

Fournie won the T51 100-metre final in a personal-best 19.63 seconds after triumphing in the 200 on Tuesday. The 35-year-old from Rimbey, Alta. is making his Paralympic debut after years on the Canadian wheelchair rugby program.

The work he and coach Geoff Harris did on Fournie’s starts since he took silver in the 100 metres at May’s world para athletics championship in Japan was evident Friday. The Canadian rocketed off the start line and no one could catch him.