What looked like a bounce back for Canada at the Paralympic Games was more of a return to form.

Canada含羞草研究社檚 10 gold medals in Paris were the most since 19 in Beijing in 2008, and also doubled the output at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

The 29 medals overall matched Rio in 2016 and far surpassed the 21 in Tokyo.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected para sport more than able-bodied sport with international and domestic competition decimated.

Canada含羞草研究社檚 tight restrictions around the pandemic added an extra layer of challenge for Tokyo hopefuls in addition to the adaptations they made to pursue their sport.

Canadian athletes showed what they could do in Paris with more optimal preparation.

含羞草研究社淚 would say it含羞草研究社檚 a bit of a bounce forward,含羞草研究社� Canadian Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Karen O含羞草研究社橬eill said Sunday.

含羞草研究社淭his really is a crossroads for Canada because what we wanted to do was stop the downturn of our reduced performance, especially in summer sport, that含羞草研究社檚 been evidenced over the last couple of quads.

含羞草研究社淐OVID was tough for both our Olympians and Paralympians, but it was markedly tougher for our Paralympians because so many additional supports and services were not available.含羞草研究社�

Canada tied for 15th with India in total medals and tied for 11th with Germany and Uzbekistan in gold among 168 countries.

Canadians stood on the podium in seven sports.

Swimming and track and field led the way with a combined 22 medals, including all 10 gold.

含羞草研究社淭hey had a really good mix of new and more veteran athletes being able to perform on the highest stage,含羞草研究社� said CPC chief sport officer Catherine Gosselin-Despr茅s.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 been really refreshing to see in these two big sports that are so important in the Paralympic Games.含羞草研究社�

Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C., had a breakout Paralympic Games with two gold medals and a silver in swimming.

Tokyo含羞草研究社檚 Paralympic Games were delayed from 2020 to 2021 and held without spectators because of the pandemic.

Bennett wasn含羞草研究社檛 rattled by the raucous La Defense Arena atmosphere in his second Paralympic Games.

含羞草研究社淛ust making the team was a monumental task and then racing some of the best athletes in the world and placing among them to be the best, it含羞草研究社檚 just been absolutely insane,含羞草研究社� the 20-year-old said.

含羞草研究社淭he experience in the pool, it was so loud that I could barely hear my own thoughts. Compared to Tokyo, you could hear a pin drop.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 going to dream of these memories every night probably for the rest of my life.含羞草研究社�

He and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy of Ottawa were chosen to carry Canada含羞草研究社檚 flag in Sunday含羞草研究社檚 closing ceremonies in Place de la Concorde.

Hennessy produced Canada含羞草研究社檚 first Paralympic medal in canoeing with a silver.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e really seeing an evolution of para sport across the world,含羞草研究社� the 39-year-old said. 含羞草研究社淚 always talk about when we come here we含羞草研究社檙e representing our country, but we含羞草研究社檙e representing something much bigger than that. It含羞草研究社檚 the movement of people with disabilities.

含羞草研究社淧eople with disabilities shouldn含羞草研究社檛 have to do something extraordinary to be seen or respected in their communities.含羞草研究社�

The women含羞草研究社檚 sitting volleyball team含羞草研究社檚 bronze was Canada含羞草研究社檚 first Paralympic medal in a team sport since London in 2012.

A common theme among Canadian medallists was they started out in a different para sport before switching to one in which they excelled.

Victoria含羞草研究社檚 Cody Fournie won a pair of wheelchair racing sprints after a decade in wheelchair rugby. Cycling silver medallist Nathan Clement of West Vancouver, B.C., swam in the 2016 Paralympics before his move to the bike.

Canada含羞草研究社檚 para sport system must continue to flexible for those moves to happen, Gosselin-Despr茅s said.

含羞草研究社淟ike most of the top nations in world, we rely a little bit on athlete transfer,含羞草研究社� she explained. 含羞草研究社淢any athletes start in a sport and either have a dual sport, or change to a sport where they含羞草研究社檙e going to be more successful. You can grow your medal-potential group.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 having our coaches and technical leaders being able to have these conversations with the athletes.含羞草研究社�

Paris marks the first time Canada含羞草研究社檚 Paralympians will receive bonus money for medals on the same scale as their Olympic counterparts含羞草研究社� $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

The CPC will pay athletes out of an $8-million endowment fund. Health tech entrepreneur Sanjay Malaviya of Hespeler, Ont., contributed $4 million and the federal government $2 million to it.

Malaviya also renewed grants of $5,000 per medallist to top up the medal bonuses.

The Paralympics in Paris sold more that 2.3 million tickets, which ranked second behind London含羞草研究社檚 2.7 million in 2012, according to The Associated Press. French fans were gracious supporters of international athletes and zealous about their own in venues.

含羞草研究社淚 really hope that witnessing the power of what含羞草研究社檚 happened here at the Paralympics, and the team that含羞草研究社檚 returning home, that Canadians will take notice of not only an exceptionally talented team of athletes, but also just the power of sport to demonstrate the diversity of our country and how much we share in common,含羞草研究社� O含羞草研究社橬eill said.

含羞草研究社淣o longer should it be acceptable for the communities and country we live in not to be accessible.含羞草研究社�

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Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press