Valérie Grand'Maison

Valérie Grand’Maison has set the goal of swimming personal best times at the Beijing Games.   The 19-year-old swimming sensation was Canada’s most decorated athlete at the 2006 IPC World Swimming Championships in Durban, South Africa where she collected five gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal. She also set a new world record in the 100m freestyle with a time of 59.57.   She currently holds five long-course world records in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle and the 400m IM. She also holds seven short-course world records.   Her parents, François and Lucie, introduced her and older brother Philipe to swimming when she was nine years old. Her earliest swim memory is failing swimming class as a young child. Now, Grand'Maison swims competitively under the guidance of Pierre Lamy at the CAMO Swim Club in Montreal.   Grand’Maison considers her parents her role models in life because they are happy, successful, and have a loving family.   One of her favourite swimming memories was at the 2005 Canada Games, where the Quebec Team members supported each other and contributed to each other’s success. This was an eye opener for Grand’Maison and it motivated her even more to make the Canadian national team for athletes with a disability. She enjoys music, literature, movies and history.