12 Days of Triumph: Stefan Daniel’s dominance continues with another world title

For this holiday season, we will be celebrating some of our favourite sport memories from throughout the year. Canada’s Para athletes achieved a lot in 2019, and we will be remembering one performance each day for 12 days.

With four world titles in the last five years including three in a row, there’s no doubt Canada’s Stefan Daniel has established himself as the one to beat in the PT5 men’s triathlon competition at the 2020 Paralympic Games.

In 2019, the 22-year-old from Calgary earned his world title at the Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland. He was undefeated in the International Triathlon Union events in 2019 posting victories at the World Cup stop in Tokyo, the Paratriathlon Series stops in Montreal and Yokohama and the Americas Championships in Sarasota, Florida.

‘’These guys are out here challenging me every race and pushing me to be better,’’ said Daniel, who was born with bilateral radial club hands with his right arm significantly more affected. ‘’It’s good to head into the Paralympic year having won the last three worlds.’’

At the end of the 2019 season, he has earned 24 podium finishes in 38 ITU races including 19 wins.

Daniel, a silver medallist at Rio 2016 when the sport made its Paralympic debut, put an exclamation point on the season in able-bodied competition as he helped the University of Calgary to the national university cross country running crown.

About the only thing that could top 2019 for Daniel is Paralympic Games gold.