Para sport notebook: Geoff Harris named Athletics Canada’s top coach for 2024

Geoff Harris of Halifax, who guided wheelchair racers Cody Fournie and Austin Smeenk to gold medals at the Paralympic Games this past summer, was named the recipient of the Dr. Doug Clement Award as Athletics Canada’s Coach of the Year.

Harris, based in Victoria, saw Fournie earn gold medals in the T51 100m and 200m sprints in Paris while Smeenk triumphed in the T34 800m and added a bronze in the 100m dash.

Smeenk and Fournie also received individual honors as well.

Smeenk, from Oakville, Ont., shared the Phil A. Edwards Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Track Athlete with Marco Arop, who captured Olympic bronze in the men’s 800m.

Fournie, from Rimbey, Alta., and Greg Stewart of Kamloops, B.C., gold medallist in the F46 shot put, earned the Para Athlete of the Year (Wheelchair and Ambulatory) awards, respectively, a first for both athletes.

Busy week ahead for Canadian Para athletes

• Two Canadians are entered for the Para judo world championships set for this Tuesday to Thursday in Astana, Kazakhstan. Veteran Justin Karn of Hamilton competes in men’s 70 kilos while Eitel Houedakor of Montreal is entered in men’s 81 kilos.

• Paralympian Ryan Rousell of Saskatoon is Canada’s entry for the Para fencing World Cup season opener in Eger, Hungary.

• Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., looks to keep his hot hand at the second stop on the Para cycling World Cup circuit this Friday to Sunday in Maniago, Italy. Hayward, a bronze medallist in Paris, took gold in the men’s C3 road race and bronze in the time trial two weeks ago in Belgium. Also watch for Maarten Duif of Carleton Place, Ont., a silver medallist in the H1 time trial. Also scheduled to race for Canada are Lowell Taylor of Red Deer, Alta., and his his guide Ed Veal of Hamilton, Mel Pemble of Victoria, Jessica Law of Vancouver and Kara Douville of Calgary.

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• Six-time world champion Stefan Daniel is scheduled as Canada’s sole entry for the season opening event in the World Triathlon Para Series event set for this Saturday in Yokohama, Japan.