Five Paralympic rookies had their first taste of Games swimming competition on Thursday at the 2024 Games, in Paris.

Fernando Lu (Burnaby, BC), finished seventh in the men’s 50m freestyle final (S10), posting a time 24.84 in his rookie Paralympic appearance.

The 17-year-old had a great start out in lane eight of the “splash and dash”, but did not have the finishing speed.

Thomas Gallagher, of Australia, took the gold in 23.40.

Canada’s Arianna Hunsicker (Montreal) and 18-year-old Katie Cosgriffe (Burlington, Ont.) both swan in 50m heats (S10), but were unable to qualify for a final in which star Aurelie Rivard (Montreal) would take a bronze medal.

Hunsicker was sixth in her heat with a time of 29:98, while Cosgriffe came in with a time of 29.14 in the other group of eight.

In the women’s 200m freestyle (S5). Clemence Pare (Boucherville, QC) and Hannah Ouellette (Saskatoon) finished last in their heats with times of 3:57:42 and 4:03:57, respectively.