Aurélie Rivard: Legend of her sport | The Ready Room

Your favorite mixed zone chat? Aurelie Rivard. Oh, you didn't even take a half second. No, I'm not breathing on the final 50. I've been on pool decks around the world with Aurelie Rivard, and I've marveled at her skill and her competitive nature. She took a year away, as we know, to finish her law degree over a cheaper, because a 13-time Paralympic medalist wasn't enough. But I was really moved because, you know, Brit, when you've competed at the highest level, and you're a champion, and you take a year away, and suddenly you have this newfound perspective, but you also have to find it within you, to ask this big question of, do I still have it? And to see a legend of her sport, be reminded of her greatness in real time, and talk about her resilience, talk about the fact that in the 50-meter free, that she didn't know if she still had it, and that she was actually contemplating dropping it completely from her program, and then winning a gold, and having sort of just this, like, jovial, fun, playful attitude towards it. I thought I would have trouble making it to A final, so it's definitely a good surprise, and a fun way to, you know, finish the whole feat. Was a really beautiful thing to me, and she was so open and honest about all of that. Open about the fact that she isn't where she wants to be, but that she's being kind to herself right now as she works her way back. I just looked at her, and I became really emotional. I could be emotional right now when I talk to you about it, because she's done everything. She's done everything. She won her first Paralympic medal. I think her first national team medal 14 years ago at the London 2012 Paralympics, and 14 years later, she's still getting it done for her country. Incredible.