WATERLOO, Ont. – Laurier Golden Hawk swimmers
Katie Cosgriffe and
Alec Elliot, along with head coach
Cathy Pardy, have been selected to represent Canada at the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships, set for August 28-30 in Walnut, California.
The pair of swimmers earned their selections following strong performances at the 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials, held earlier this month at Parc Olympique in Montreal.
Cosgriffe led the way in the Para swimming finals with three gold-medal performances, winning the women's 100-metre backstroke, 100-metre butterfly, and 200-metre individual medley events.
Elliot also secured his place on the national team after recording a bronze-medal finish in the men's 200-metre individual medley S10 classification.
The duo are among 10 Paralympic medalists named to Canada's roster for the international championship.
Pardy, who was named the Ontario University Athletics men's swimming coach of the year for the second time in the past three years following the 2025-26 season, will be one of six coaches supporting Team Canada in California.
Notably, she was the coach for the St. Vincent and the Grenadines swim team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Para Pan Pacific Championships selection adds to what is already shaping up to be a busy international schedule for the Laurier contingent. Back in April, both Cosgriffe and Elliot were named to Canada's para swimming team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled for July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland.
That competition will mark Elliot's second Commonwealth Games appearance, while Cosgriffe is set to make her debut on one of sport's biggest international stages.
The upcoming Para Pan Pacific Championships will also represent another chapter in Elliot's extensive international career. The veteran swimmer has competed at two previous editions of the event, making his international debut at the 2014 championships in Pasadena, California, where he captured three medals.
He later represented Canada again at the 2018 championships in Cairns, Australia.
