September 30, 2016 - 7:51 PM
Toronto's Penny Oleksiak was recognized for her breakthrough performance at the Rio Olympics on Friday by being named the female swimmer of the year by Swimming Canada.
The 16-year-old Oleksiak made her Olympic debut in Rio and came away as Canada's most decorated summer Olympian in a single Games with four medals, including a gold in the 100-metre freestyle.
On the Paralympic side, Aurelie Rivard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., was awarded with the Canadian female Para-swimmer of the year for the third year in a row.
Also a four-time medallist, the 20-year-old Rivard set world records in the S10 50 and 400 freestyle. Rio was her second Paralympic appearance after competing in London four years ago, where she won a silver medal in the 400 freestyle.
Quebec City's Nicolas-Guy Turbide was named Canada's male Para-swimmer of the year, with his highlight being a bronze medal in the S13 100 backstroke. The 19-year-old Turbide became the first visually impaired Canadian swimmer to break the one-minute barrier in the race, re-setting his own Americas record in the process.
Santo Condorelli of Kenora, Ont., was named the Canadian male swimmer of the year. The 21-year-old Condorelli earned Canada's best male result in Rio with his fourth-place finish in the 100 freestyle, and set a new Canadian record in the 100 butterfly.
Also, Richard Weinberger of Moose Jaw, Sask., was named Canada's top open-water swimmer after finishing 17th in the men's marathon swimming event in Rio. This is Weinberger's sixth consecutive award in the open water category.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016