A silver Saturday for Canadian swimmers

Tess Routliffe felt back where she belonged and Nicholas Bennett rose to the occasion for a pair of Paralympic Games silver medals in the pool Saturday.

- DONNA SPENCER

Canada's Tess Routliffe competes in the heats of the 200-metre individual medley on Saturday. She earned silver, matching her result in 2016.

Routliffe of Caledon, Ont. took silver in the 200-metre individual medley eight years after the same result in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The 25-year-old didn’t compete in Tokyo three years ago because of a broken back, suffered when a barbell fell on her during a weighttraining session.

“It’s been eight years since I’ve been at a Paralympic Games. That feeling is kind of indescribable,” Routliffe said. “I’m back in my happy place.”

Bennett of Parksville, B.C. knocked over half a second off his previous best time in the 200-metre freestyle for the first Paralympic medal of his career. The 20-yearold, who is autistic, was beaten by Britain’s William Ellard in a worldrecord time of one minute, 51.30 seconds.

“It’s been two years since I dropped time in that race,” Bennett said. “I’m actually ecstatic. I left everything in the pool and I’m currently feeling like I’m trying not to pass out. Absolutely gassed. There’s nothing left in the tank right now.”