Le Cahier du parasport : Hayward remporte l’or ; Law l’argent; Duif est double médaillé de la Coupe du monde de paracyclisme

MANIAGO, Italy – For the second time this month, Paralympic Games medallist Alexandre Hayward stood on the podium’s top step on the road Para cycling World Cup circuit.

After winning the road race at the season opener two weeks ago in Belgium, the 28-year-old from Quispamsis, N.B.,  struck gold this time in the 24.1 kilometre individual time trial with an impressive 43 second gap on runner up Floria Bouziani of France in the 18-man field.

Jessica Law of Vancouver took the silver in the women’s C5 road race for her first career World Cup medal.

Meanwhile Maarten Duif of Carleton Place, Ont., is emerging as one the rising stars in the sport. After earning his first career World Cup medal in Belgium, he took silver in the road race and bronze in the time trial in the men’s H1 (handcycle).

Both races were won by Barry Wilcox of the U.S.

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Paralympian Mel Pemble of Victoria was sixth in the women’s C3 time trial and seventh in the road race. Law was also fifth in the women’s C5 time trial.

Stefan Daniel wins bronze at season-opening Para triathlon event

Six-time world champion  Stefan Daniel opened the World Triathlon Para Series with a bronze medal in Yokohama, Japan on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Calgarian battled through the morning rain and a star-studded field in the men’s standing PS5 classification. Daniel, a two-time Paralympic medallist, clocked 59:46, just five seconds from top spot.

“It wasn’t a great day, but I guess it was okay all things considered. I have not raced since October, so I think it was clean and I did alright across the board,” said Daniel following his 46th career podium in 64 starts. “The transitions were solid. I swam well and road smoothly. The run didn’t go that well. I was in a fight with a couple of other guys but just didn’t have the gear to close it today.”

Germany’s Martin Schulz clocked a time of 59:41for gold, while Australia’s Jack Howell finished just one second off the leading mark for silver.

“Every year, this field gets tighter and tighter,’’ said Daniel, born with bilateral radial club hands.

‘’The guys always come together now on the bike, and these are becoming running races more and more which really legitimizes the sport. The results show how deep it is getting. It just keeps getting more competitive and closer every year.”

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Aurélie Rivard makes history, celebrates birthday as Quebec City’s athlete of the year

For the first time in its 52-year history there are co-winners for Quebec City’s athlete of the year.

Para swimmer Aurélie Rivard, who has trained in the provincial capital for the past several seasons where she also studies law at Université Laval, shared the title with world champion snowboarder Éliot Grondin.

It was a big night for Rivard, a triple medallist at the 2024 Paralympic Games including gold in the 400-metre freestyle for 13 medals overall over four Games.

She also earned the women’s international athlete of the year award and her coach Marc-André Pelletier was named top coach for individual sports. In addition, it was her 29^th birthday on awards night (May 14).

 « It’s an honour to share the award with Éliot,’’ Rivard told Le Journal de Québec.  ‘’It’s good news to know that there are so many good athletes in the region that we can’t choose between them.

‘’As well, Marc and I worked so hard together to bring out the best in each other and take me as far as possible.’’

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Canadians gain valuable experience at Para judo world championships

Veteran Justin Karn of Hamilton and newcomer Eitel Houedakor of Montreal both competed at the Para judo world championships held last week in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Houedakor lost in the first-round  to Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukh Mamedov in the men’s 81 kilos.

Karn received a first round bye in men’s 60 kilos then fell to Paris Paralympic bronze medallist Davyd Khorava of Ukraine in round two and Josip Tonzetic of Croatia in the repechage·.

“It’s been a great experience for Eitel,’’ said Team Canada coordinator and coach Franck Moussima.  ‘’Understandably, he’s disappointed, and he feels that he could have done better, but what it indicates to us is that he needs more frequent training, so that he can catch up on the years of experience on the tatamis that he has not yet accumulated.”

With files from Triathlon Canada and Judo Canada

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