Canadian track cyclists Keely Shaw and Alexandre Hayward both won individual pursuit bronze medals at the Paris Paralympics on Friday.
Shaw won the bronze-medal race in the women’s C4 3,000-metre event for the second straight Games, while Hayward stormed to victory in the men’s C3 classification for his first career Paralympic medal.
The 30-year-old Shaw, who hails from Midale, Sask., beat Samantha Bosco of the United States by 1.6 seconds in the head-to-head race with a time of three minutes 46.942 seconds at the National Velodrome.
Shaw claimed bronze in the event three years ago in Tokyo and has also won two silvers and a bronze at the Para track cycling world championships.
WATCH l Shaw wins 2nd career Paralympic bronze medal in individual pursuit:
Keely Shaw of Midale, Sask., won the Paralympic track cycling C4 3,000m individual pursuit bronze medal Friday in Paris.
In pursuit, each rider tries to both post the fastest time and attempt to overtake the other cyclist before the end of the race.
The 27-year-old Hayward clocked a time of 3:24.865 to defeat Spain’s Eduardo Santas by 3.8 seconds.
The former wheelchair basketball player from Quispamsis, N.B., advanced to the medal race earlier on Friday with the fourth-fastest qualifying time (3:26.940). He made his Paralympic debut in Paris.
WATCH l Hayward claims bronze for 1st career Paralympic medal:
Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., won Friday’s Paralympic track cycling C3 3,000m individual pursuit bronze medal in Paris.
Shaw finished third overall among the field of eight riders in the women’s qualifying heats in 3:44.012.
She races in the C4 category for athletes with lower-limb impairment, while Hayward’s C3 classification is for athletes with moderate upper or lower limb dysfunction.
Shaw suffered partial paralysis on her left side when she fell off a horse at the age of 15. Hayward broke his neck playing hockey in 2012 and has quadriplegia in his limbs.
Australia’s Emily Petricola broke her own world record from the Tokyo Games to reach the women’s gold-medal race, dominating the field in a time of 3:35.856. The 44-year-old successfully defended her Paralympic title against New Zealand’s Anna Taylor.
Great Britain’s Jaco van Gass also lowered his world record set in Tokyo with a qualifying mark of 3:15.488 in the men’s heats. He beat fellow British cyclist Finlay Graham to repeat as Paralympic champion.
Roxon qualifies for 100m breaststroke final
Canadian Para swimmer Katarina Roxon advanced to the women’s 100m breaststroke SB8 final on Friday, becoming the first woman to compete in the sport at five Paralympics.
The Kippens, N.L., native finished third in the first of two qualifying heats, touching the wall in 1:26.70 for the sixth-fastest time among the eight who qualified at La Defense Arena.
Roxon, who was born missing her left arm below the elbow, won Paralympic gold in the same event gold at Rio 2016 and helped Canada claim bronze in the women’s 4x100m relay three years ago in Tokyo.
She served as one of Canada’s flag-bearers in the opening ceremony alongside wheelchair basketball legend Pat Anderson.
Meanwhile, Sebastian Massabie, of Surrey, B.C., reached the men’s 100m freestyle S4 swimming final (11:44 a.m. ET) after clocking 1:23.80 for second place in his qualifying heat — the fourth-fastest overall time.
Humboldt’s Wassermann makes debut
Humboldt bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann made his Paralympic debut in the men’s PR1 single sculls rowing event, less than two years into competing in the sport.
The 24-year-old Humboldt, Sask., native didn’t directly qualify for the final, finishing last in his heat, but he will have another chance to advance in Saturday’s repechage round.
“It’s just the beginning”<br><br>🇨🇦 Jacob Wassermann is fiercely competitive and he told me just now this is only firing him up for future races.<br><br>His first Paralympic rowing race complete. And more to come from the 24-year-old from Humboldt, Saskatchewan. <a href=”https://t.co/FSD0ZtnkU3″>pic.twitter.com/FSD0ZtnkU3</a>
—@Devin_Heroux
Wassermann clocked a time of 11:22.35 in the 2,000m race at Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium, drawing cheers and applause as he crossed the finish. He will compete in the first of two repechage races on Saturday at 4:10 a.m. ET, with the fastest two rowers in each advancing to the Sunday’s final.
The 24-year-old is one of 13 survivors of the 2018 tragedy, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
WATCH | Wassermann finds freedom on the water:
Jacob Wassermann has turned to rowing and is on path to compete at the Paralympics in Paris this summer. Devin Heroux spoke to him about his newfound love of being on the water and how he keeps in touch with his former Humboldt Broncos teammates.
Other Canadian results:
- Wheelchair racer Anthony Bouchard advanced to Friday’s final in the men’s 400m T52 event, scheduled for 1:12 p.m. ET.
- Boccia player Iulian Ciobanu defeated Malaysia’s Abdul Razzaq Abdul Rahman 6-4 for his first win in the men’s BC4 tournament, while fellow Canadian Danick Allard lost 11-1 to Indonesia’s Felix Ardi Yudha in the BC2 classification.
- Kyle Tremblay advanced to the 1/8 round in the men’s individual compound archery competition with a 140-135 win over Italy’s Matteo Bonacina. He will face Austria’s Michael Meier on Sunday at 10:04 a.m. ET.
- Canada’s women’s goalball team lost 2-1 to Japan, falling to a 1-1 record in Pool D.
- Charlotte Bolton finished 10th in the women’s shot put F41 final.