Canada's Keely Shaw claims 2nd bronze at World Para-cycling championships
Nathan Clement, Joey Desjardins add to Canada's medal count
Canada's Keely Shaw has won her second bronze medal at the 2022 Para-cycling world championships in Baie-Comeau, Que., as she finished third in the women's C4, 70.2-kilometre road race.
On the final day of competition Sunday, Shaw of Midale, Sask., raced to a time of 2:03:29 which was just behind USA's Samantha Bosco who won gold with a time of 2:00:05 and Meg Lemon of Australia took home silver with a time of 2:03:27.
''Today I showed I'm a road racer rather than a track racer who does road,'' Shaw said. ''I've never been this close to second place in an international road race.''
In the last race of her career, Marie-Claude Molnar of Longueuil, Que., finished fourth in 2:12.46.
Shaw's medal also marked Canada's seventh total for the competition.
BRONZE for <a href="https://twitter.com/KeelyShaw14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KeelyShaw14</a><br> <br>The Canadian raced to a bronze medal at the Para Cycling Road World Championships<a href="https://t.co/6LLJlEXNgF">pic.twitter.com/6LLJlEXNgF</a>
—@cbcsportsSébastien Travers, head coach of Canada's national Para cycling team, was ecstatic for the team's results.
''It was a great week for us,'' said Travers. ''We won more medals than expected. We got some great performances from newcomers and our veterans were able to deliver the goods. We are where we want to be, two years from the Paris Paralympics.''
Clement, Desjardins reach podium
On Saturday, Nathan Clement of West Vancouver took home silver and Joey Desjardins of Hawkesbury, Ont., won the bronze in the road races at the 2022 Para cycling World Road Championships.
Clement won his second silver of the competition in the T1 (tricycle) 28.4 kilometre road race. The 27-year-old finished second in 1:01:42 just behind Italy's Giorgio Farroni's 1:00:20. Spain's Gonzalo Garcia Abella placed third in 1:02:56.
"I was pushed to my limits by my two main opponents,'' said Clement, a former national team Para swimmer. ''The coaching staff relayed me a lot of information to help produce a hard-fought race and get the silver.''
Waiting for the medals ceremony got us like 😄😄 <a href="https://twitter.com/deswheelie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@deswheelie</a> 🥉 <a href="https://twitter.com/Nate_Clement?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nate_Clement</a> 🥈 <a href="https://twitter.com/CyclingCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyclingCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/JChKcnWlx1">pic.twitter.com/JChKcnWlx1</a>
—@CDNParalympicsDesjardins' result in the men's H3 (handcycle) 66.2 kilometre race was a special one as he passed Mirko Testa on the last straightaway to win his first career medal in five world championship appearances. His previous best result was eighth.
''I'm still pinching myself,'' said Desjardins. ''I gave everything I had."
France's Riadh Tarsim raced to gold in 2:01:59, while Paolo Cecchetto of Italy was second in 2:02:00 and Desjardins, finished third in 2:02:02.
''I tried to be active in the pack,'' said Desjardins. ''I started off a little hesitant and slow. At about an hour and 15 minutes I got a second wind, did a few moves, felt like I was strong on the hills and it worked.''
