By Jim Morris

GLASGOW, Scotland – She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so Aurelie Rivard did a little of both.

Rivard swam a record-breaking race to win the first world championship gold medal of her career in the 50-meter S10 freestyle Monday night at the IPC Swimming World Championships.

“I’m so surprised I can’t believe it,” said Rivard, who was hugged by her coach Frances Latendresse and mobbed by her teammates after the race. “I’m so happy. I don’t have any words to express how happy I am.”

Nathan Stein of Maple Ridge, B.C., earned Canada’s second medal of the night with a bronze in the men’s 50-meter S10 freestyle.

Rivard, of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., won her race in 27.87 seconds, breaking the Canadian and America’s record she set during the morning heats.

It was the sixth world championship medal for the 19-year-old, who won three silver and two bronze at the 2013 worlds held in Montreal. The golden glow made this medal very special.

“It means all the effort, being at the pool the past five years, that it was worth it,” said Rivard. “All the sacrifices I have done, it means a lot to me right now.”

Watching in the stands were Rivard’s parents, who decided to make the trip to Scotland just two weeks ago. They saw their daughter edge Russia’s Nina Ryabova, who took silver in 27.91, and New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe, who was third in 28.00.

Rivard set the stage for her evening performance with a record-breaking opening act during the morning heats. Her time of 28.03 seconds broke the Canadian and America’s record of 28.10 set by Summer Mortimer at the 2012 London Olympics.

Stein earned his first world championship medal in 23.84 seconds, just .003 out of second place.

“I can live with it,” said Stein. “It wasn’t my goal. The goal is always to come first. I didn’t get there this time. It wasn’t enough today.”

Stein still was pleased to begin the week on a positive note.

“It’s my first world championship medal, so it’s pretty awesome,” he said. “I’m still pretty happy with it.”

A pair of Brazilians took gold and silver. Andre Brasil won in 23.20 seconds while Pam Rodrigues was second in 23.81.

A couple of other Canadians also made a splash in the pool.

Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., was close to a medal in the S7 100-m freestyle, finishing fourth in a Canadian record time of one minute, 14.50 seconds. That broke the old mark of 1:14.64 set by Danielle Campo at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

Routliffe had mixed emotions about just missing a medal in her first world championship final.

“I’m not disappointed at all in my race,” said the 16-year-old who swam a personal best time of 1:15.55 in the morning heats. “Of course it would have been amazing to get a bronze medal.”

The result is a good start for a long week for Routliffe.

“It gives me a lot of confidence for the next six races I have,” she said.

“I’m hoping I can push every other race like I pushed that race.”

Morgan Bird of Calgary was fifth in the S8 100-m butterfly in 1:20.24.

“I just went into it with a positive mentality and a plan,” said Bird. “I did the best I could and I’m happy with the result.”

Justine Morrier of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, swam a personal best time of 1:26.84 to finish eighth in the S14 100-m breaststroke.

During the morning heats Gordie Michie of St. Thomas, Ont., set a Canadian record in the men’s S14 100-m breaststroke. His time of 1:12.95 broke the old mark of 1:13.15 set by Maxime Rousselle last year.

Rousselle, of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, finished 13^th in the heats in a time of 1:13.27 while Adam Rahier of Powell River, B.C, was 20th in 1:17.43.

In other heats, Jean-Michel Lavalliere of Quebec City swam 1:08.81 to finish 10th in the S7 100-m freestyle.

Nicolas Turbide of Quebec City was 13th in the men’s S13 50-m freestyle in 26.83.

The competition, which ends Sunday, have attracted 580 athletes from close to 70 countries to the Tollcross International Swimming Centre. It’s the largest swimming competition before next year’s Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janerio.

All heats and finals will be shown live at http://www.paralympic.org/glasgow-2015Glasgow2015.com. Results can be found at www.paralympic.org/glasgow-2015/schedule/results.

 “All the sacrifices I have done, it means a lot to me right now.”