Weekend recap: Three silver medals for Canada at Para triathlon World Series

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Stefan Daniel of Calgary, Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, N.B., and Leanne Taylor of Winnipeg each won a silver medal this past weekend at the Para triathlon World Series. 

In the men’s P5 triathlon, Daniel clocked 56 minutes and 30 seconds in a hard-fought battle with American Chris Hammer, through a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and five-kilometre run. 

“The race wasn’t what I was hoping for but I’m proud of my efforts,” said Daniel, 27, a five-time world champion and two-time Paralympic Games medallist born with bilateral radial club hands. 

“I stayed close with everyone on the swim and bike and managed to run second. The run is getting significantly better each time I race, which I’m really excited about. I just need to clean up my transitions and a few technical areas in the months ahead.” 

Hammer won in 56:25. Brazil’s Ronan Cordeiro was third at 56:53. 

Taylor collected her third-ever podium on the Series in the women’s PTWC wheelchair category. The 31-year-old stopped the clock at 1:05:01 to edge Brazil’s Jessica Ferreira for the silver. Australia’s Lauren Parker won in 1:03:36 

“I’m happy to be leaving Japan with a silver medal and some great memories both from Yokohama, and my last training block in Colorado,” said Taylor, injured in 2019 in a mountain bike accident. “I didn’t understand how valuable training partners can be to give me that extra push.” 

Frenette made it three silver for Canada clocking 1:06:18 in the women’s P5. The Canadian was leading when she made a mistake near the end on the last turn. That allowed Claire Cashmore of Great Britain to win gold in 1:05:44 while Gwladys Lemoussu of France was third in 1:09:41. 

“Today was 99 per cent amazing, one per cent heartbreak,’’ said Frenette ‘’I was in first place until the very last minute when I missed a slight right turn which cost me the win. It’s a costly mistake, but you live and learn.’’ 

Medal and quota spot for Canada at Para canoe world championships 

Brianna Hennessy of Ottawa won a silver medal and Mathieu St-Pierre of Shawinigan, Que. notched a third Paralympic Games quota spot for Canada this past weekend at the Para canoe word championships in Szeged, Hungary. 

Hennessy, who made her Paralympic Games debut at Tokyo 2020, repeated as the silver medallist in the women’s VL2 200-m  event clocking one minute and 00.35 seconds.  

Two-time defending Paralympic Games champion Emma Wiggs of Great Britain was the winner in 58.69 and Susan Sepel of Australia third in 1:02.15. 

Erica Scarff of Mississauga, Ont. was also looking to repeat a silver medal performance in the women’s VL3 but just fell short taking fourth place.  

Hennessy and Scarff both earned quota spots for Canada for the 2024 Paralympic Games with their results at last year’s worlds. St- Pierre made it three with his seventh place in the men’s VL2 200m. Last year, St-Pierre missed the quota spot by one placing. 

‘’I’m very pleased with the result, it was very tight between fourth and ninth place,’’ St-Pierre told Sportcom. ‘’I was here to get that quota spot, so mission accomplished.’’ 

Whoever earns those three spots will be finalized at team trials at the end of June.