Marissa Papaconstantinou, Bianca Borgella among Canadian sprinters qualified for Paralympic finals
CBC
Canadian sprinter Marissa Papaconstantinou will look to add a second Paralympic medal to her resume on Tuesday at Stade de France in Paris.
The 24-year-old Toronto native booked a spot in the women's T64 200-metre final by finishing third in her heat with the fifth-fastest overall time (27.47).
Papaconstantinou won bronze in the 100m in Tokyo and added world-championship bronze medals in the 200 and 100 last summer, also in Paris.
The race will also feature world-record holder Kimberly Alemade of the Netherlands and her compatriot Marle Van Gansewinkel, who set the Paralympic record three years ago in Tokyo.
Fellow Canadian Bianca Borgella qualified for the women's T13 100m final in her Paralympic debut later on Tuesday.
The visually impaired sprinter from Rockland, Ont., registered the fourth-fastest qualifying time (12.15) to finish second in her heat — just 0.3 seconds behind top qualifier Lamiya Valiyeva of Azerbaijan.
The 21-year-old Borgella took home bronze in the event at last year's world championships. She will compete for her first-ever Paralympic medal at 2:13 p.m. ET.
Toronto teen Sheriauna Haase, also making her Paralympic debut, posted a season-best time to advance in the women's T47 100m event.
The 17-year-old was the fifth-fastest qualifier, clocking 12.47 for a second-place finish in her heat.
Haase's final is scheduled for 2:23 p.m. ET.
Retired Canadian Paralympian Giselle Cole holds the world record in the event, set at the 1980 Games in Arnhem, Netherlands (14.00).
Four of Canada's Paralympic swimmers qualified for finals on Tuesday at Paris La Défense Arena.
Sebastian Massabie, who finished fifth in the men's S4 200m freestyle, secured his spot in the 200m free final with a time of 3:02.28 — good for fourth-fastest overall.
The 19-year-old Paralympic rookie from Toronto will race in his second final of Paris 2024 at 11:51 a.m. ET.
