MONTREAL – Stefan Daniel looked behind him as he approached the finish, saw no one in sight and cranked a few arm pumps as he collected his second consecutive victory on the World Triathlon Para Series circuit on Friday.
Daniel’s win launched a three-medal day for Canadians at their home race. Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, N.B. took silver and Leanne Taylor of Winnipeg bronze in their respective categories.
Daniel, a 25-year-old Calgarian, was showing mass satisfaction at the finish with his decisive win in the men’s PTS5 category after a slow winter season training while tending to injuries. But on the Parc-Jean-Drapeau circuit on this day, no one was going to catch the two-time Paralympic medallist.
“It was my best race in a few years,” said Daniel, born with bilateral radial club hands with his right arm significantly more affected. “I had a slower start to the year and I’m starting to get in shape now. I was strong across all three disciplines which I haven’t been this year.”
Daniel clocked 59 minutes and 10.3 seconds in the early morning race held under sunny skies with temperatures at 22 degrees but high humidity. Water temperature in the Olympic basin was warm while the cycling portion was held on the F1 track, and the running along the basin.
Chris Hammer of the U.S. was second in 1:00.12.5 and Filipe Marques of Portugal, the leader after the swimming portion, third in 1:00.20.0.
So far this season on the international circuit, Daniel has two gold and a silver as he primes for the world championships this November in Dubai. Last month in France, his swimming wasn’t as smooth and he needed a career-best cycling leg to win.
“My cycling wasn’t quite as good today, but I had a much better swim,” Daniel said. “I set myself a lot better and I had to go hard on the bike but not to last race’s extent.”
Once on the running course, his strongest event, Daniel continued to build his lead.
In the women’s PTS5, Grace Norman of the U.S. dominated, clocking 1:05:44.9. Frenette posted the best international result of her career with the silver in 1:09:45.4. Gwladys Lemoussu of France was third in 1:12:23.8.
Frenette was fourth at her first Paralympic Games last summer in Tokyo and third at the two international events earlier this season.
“Everything went to plan,” said Frenette, who tuned 26 on Monday. She is a Halifax pharmacist and was a front line worker during the height of COVID-19. “I definitely had one of my best swims and I was able to stay with the leaders but I have some work to do on the bike and run for sure.”
Taylor, injured four years ago, took the bronze in the women’s wheelchair division in 1:12:39.8. Lauren Parker of Australia was first in 1:05:08.1 and American Kendall Gretsch was second in 1:11.50.
“I finally put together a bike portion I was proud of,” said Taylor, who works in the pharmaceutical industry. “It was a solid swim and I always have a good time on the run. I’ve been making a lot of improvements, and this is the first time I’m really competitive with the girls.”
In the men’s PTS3, Hicham Boufekane, born and raised in Montreal, competed at only his third career Para triathlon event and first on the Series. He was seventh.
He started the sport last year after being on the national radar in Para swimming.
“It was a very heartwarming experience for me,” said Boufekane, a 23-year-old student at the Universite de Montreal in kinesiology. “It was wonderful to share these moments with my family and friends. I’m really motivated to keep pursuing this sport with the improvements I showed today.”
