Brent Lakatos opens busy Games with silver

Brent Lakatos opened his fifth career Paralympic Games in spectacular fashion on Saturday night with a silver medal performance in the men’s T54 5000-m wheelchair race.

Lakatos made his move with two laps to go to take the lead, but Swiss superstar Marcel Hug surged to the finish line past the 41-year-old Canadian for the victory. Hug’s winning time was 10 minutes and 29.90 seconds with Lakatos clocking 10:30.19 and Putharet Khongrak of Thailand placing third at 10:30.37.

It was an eighth career medal for Lakatos at the Games (one gold, five silver and two bronze). It was also the eighth medal of these Games for Canada (1-5-2).

Lakatos is scheduled for six events at the Games stretching from the 100-m to the marathon.