Paris 2024 Para Cycling Lookahead: Group of Seven gears up for Paris

PARIS – Whether it’s on the track at the sparkling Velodrome near the Réserve naturelle or the picturesque streets outside of Paris, Canadian Keely Shaw is at the Paralympic Games to pedal to the medal.

Shaw is one of six Paralympic Games returnees, four of which reached the podium at past Games, in Canada’s group of seven riders for Paris 2024.

“You don’t go to the Paralympics to participate,’’ Shaw, of Midale, Sask., told CBC Radio on Monday.  ‘’You don’t go there just like, ‘I’m just going to try my best.’ You go there to win.’’

But like many Paralympic sports, the talent level just keeps surging as the Games gain worldwide popularity. Shaw, who races on the road and the track,  knows she can’t beat herself up over results.

“But at the end of the day, if I put up a four-second personal best in my pursuit [event] and it ends me fourth or fifth, as much as I’m going to be heartbroken to not have been able to repeat my medal performance, sometimes you’ve got to find where the wins are.”

Shaw, who has partial paralysis on her left side caused by an injury at age 15, won bronze at Tokyo 2020 in the women’s C4 individual pursuit and was also third  in the event at the 2024 track worlds. Australian Emily Petricola is the two-time defending world champion in the event and is also a top rival for Shaw on the road along with double world champ American Samantha Bosco.

The other returnees are H3 (handcyclist)  Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Que., a double bronze medallist at Rio 2016, C3 Mike Sametz of Calgary, a bronze medallist in the road time trial in Rio, C4 Kate O’Brien of Calgary, third in the 500m time trial at Tokyo 2020, C3 Mel Pemble of Victoria and T1 Nathan Clement of West Vancouver.

Pemble’s other Paralympic experience was not in cycling but in alpine skiing, She competed on the slopes at the 2018 Winter Games. Clement was a member of the national Para swimming team at the 2016 Rio Games.

Pemble, has been a multi-medallist at the last three world track championships totalling seven medals including three gold.

‘’I am aiming for a podium,’’ Pemble told CBC. ‘’It’s been something that has looked on the horizon for a little bit, but after these past world championships in March, it looks a little bit more realistic to have as a goal.’’

Wang Xiaomei of China was the women’s C3 top performer at the track worlds with gold in all four events.

Clement enters his first Games as the reigning world champion in the men’s T1 road time trial. He was also third in the road race. His top rivals are two Chinese riders including Chen Jianxin, who swept gold in both road events at Tokyo 2020.

‘’It’s been a real whirlwind experience over the past two years,’’ Clement, told CPC. ‘’From qualifying for my first national Para cycling team to going all around the world to compete for Canada at World Cups and world championships’’

The first time Paralympian on the team is C3 Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B. He is a track and road cyclist and competed at the last three worlds including a silver medal in the scratch race this past winter in Rio.

‘’Competition is something I’ve always clung to,’’ Hayward told CPC. ‘’It’s something I really like doing no matter how uncomfortable it is. It was a super steep learning curve but I feel like I’m getting to the point where I’ve learned enough to put it all together.’’

On the track, British rider Jaco Van Gass is the man to beat in C3 after a triple gold performance at the recent worlds.

The track events take place at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome August 29 to September 1. The road events are September 4-7 at Clichy-sous-Bois

For more information visit our Paris 2024 Hub.