PARIS — Canada took the track by storm on the second day of Para athletics competition in Paris, with multiple impressive finishes and a few making their Paralympic Games debut.
Three-time Paralympian Guillaume Ouellet finished fifth in the 5000m T13 race on Saturday after a very solid output that saw him maintain the lead for multiple laps.
Those moments leading the race on the world’s biggest stage were surreal for Ouellet as he took in what it meant to be competing at this level in the Stade de France Stadium.
Six minutes into the race, Ouellet took a commanding lead and held it for around two minutes before Australia’s Jaryd Clifford overtook him.
“I went a couple of laps at the front just to actually stretch my leg a little bit and be well positioned and enjoy a little bit of the Stade de France, leading a race in Stade de France,” he said, sharing the emotion of the moment after the race. “It was pretty cool.”
The Quebec native found the last of the five kilometeres the most challenging as the other racers started to turn up the pressure near the end.
“When they kick started with a kilometere to go I tried to match and I was going really hard,” Ouellet said.
“I tried to slowly catch the guys but they were too fast in the last kilometre. I fought to the finish, but it was not enough today.”
With this result, the Quebec native completed another impressive Paralympic Games finish and matched his Tokyo 2020 fifth-place finish.
Amanda Rummery placed fifth in the women’s T46/47 400m race.
It was tough competition with each of the top four finishers pulling off personal best times in the event, but Rummery was also performing at her best as she threw down a race time only three one-hundredths off her personal best.
Even though she entered the race with high expectations, being ranked second in the world, she says she ran a race she can be proud of.
In F13 Javelin throw Ashlyn Renneberg finished seventh for Canada with a throw of 30.93m.
The Saskatoon native made her Paralympic debut with this event, and at only 19-years-old, she is excited for the opportunities she will have to compete at future Paralympic Games.
“I aimed to do what I could to get there, and I tried my best but still it was less than ideal, and less than what I wanted to do for this competition,” Renneberg shared. “There was a lot going on for today, but I ranked top seven. Right there, that’s an accomplishment in itself.”
“But I am only 19 so there’s going to be many more years for that experience to get up hopefully.”
Brent Lakatos rose to the challenge in the men’s 5 000m T54 final, finishing seventh with a time of 10:56.73, less than two seconds shy of the gold medal time.
He started the race with speed from his position near the inside of the track and quickly positioned himself in second place.
The 44-year-old held good position throughout the race, conceding the second spot for a few moments around the three-minute mark, before rapidly regaining the desired position.
As he approached the end of the race his competition began to catch up, and in typical 5 000m race fashion, the results were determined in the last two laps. Only 1.5 sec separated the top eight finishers.
Lakatos is one of Canada’s most decorated Para athletes as Paris 2024 marks his sixth summer Paralympic Games.
In her Paralympic Games debut, Keegan Gaunt placed ninth in the T13 1500m race. She finished with a time of 4:51.13.
Gaunt left everything on the track in her first-ever Paralympic Games race, sticking to her game plan and delivering an impressive finish.
