Canada’s Stefan Daniel bursts to Para triathlon bronze in Tokyo

Daniel, 24, won silver in the category reserved for athletes with mild impairments at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. The Canadian was born with bilateral radial club hands, leaving his right arm seven inches shorter than his left.

“Overall I probably had a much better race than in Rio and I came away with a worse result. It just shows [the fact that] the sport and the athletes grow [and improve] every year,” Daniel said.

WATCH | Daniel claims bronze medal in Para triathlon:

Stefan Daniel captures bronze in men’s Para triathlon

Stefan Daniel from Calgary wins the bronze medal in the men’s Para triathlon PTS5 event at the Tokyo Paralympics. 3:32

Germany’s Martin Schulz, who won gold five years ago, repeated the feat with a time of 58:10, while Great Britain’s George Peasgood took silver at 58:55.

Daniel edged out American Chris Hammer by six seconds to take the final spot on the podium.

“I’ll come to cherish this, but it’ll take time. I gave everything I had today,” Daniel, who has four world championships to his name, told CBC Sports’s Devin Heroux after the race.

At the Odaiba Marine Park, Daniel was consistently third, emerging in the position after the 750-metre swim and after the 20-kilometre bike. He was able to make up some time on Peasgood in the 5-km run, but his deficit was ultimately too large to overcome.

WATCH | Daniel accepts bronze medal:

Stefan Daniel steps to the podium for his bronze medal

Calgarys’ Stefan Daniel receives his bronze medal for his third place finish in the men’s Para triathlon PTS5 event. 0:48

Once again, heat was a factor in Tokyo, with temperatures nearing 30 C to go along with a thick humidity.

But Daniel was prepared. In anticipation of the weather, he used steaming kettles in his treadmill room at home to increase heat for training, sometimes up to 38 C.

It paid off on Sunday, with Daniel’s endurance appearing not to waver as the race stretched to nearly an hour long.

“I really tried to stay within myself, tried to manage the heat. The heat is the real deal here. That was definitely a factor and everyone was definitely suffering out there,” Daniel said.

After collapsing to the ground immediately after finishing the race, the Canadian was ushered on a wheelchair into a medical tent, where he received some form of treatment before re-emerging.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Kamylle Frenette just missed the podium in her Paralympic debut, placing fourth in the women’s PT4-5 Para triathlon.

It’s the same position in which Frenette finished at both her world championship appearances, in 2018 and 2019. But despite both the increased pressure and humidity, the 25-year-old from Dieppe, N.B., posted a better time than in either of those events.

She crossed the finish line in 1:10:09.

“I’m overwhelmed right now. So proud,” she told Heroux.

Frenette emerged third from the swim but quickly fell back into fourth, where she’d remain throughout the race. Ultimately, the Canadian — a pharmacy student who has worked in vaccination clinics throughout the pandemic — finished over two minutes out of the podium but over three minutes clear off fifth.

Lakatos races to T53 400-metre final

Wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos is moving into the finals of the men’s T53 400-metre race following his qualifying heat on Saturday. 

Canada’s Lakatos, the world record holder, cruised to the finish in 48 seconds to win his heat.

The 41-year-old of Dorval, Que., has already won a silver medal in Tokyo, securing it in the men’s T54 5,000-metre final on Saturday.

Pongsakorn Paeyo of Thailand set a Paralympic record in his qualifying heat with a time of 47.31 seconds. The reigning gold medallist goes into the final first overall. 

Lakatos has taken silver at the past two Paralympics in this event. His final is scheduled for 7:01 a.m. ET on Sunday. 

Turbide, Bennett in swimming finals

Canada’s Nicolas-Guy Turbide and Nicholas Bennett broke national records in the pool.

Turbide, of Quebec City, touched the wall in 24.54 seconds in a men’s S13 50m freestyle qualifying heat at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

The time was just enough for Turbide, 24, to squeak into the medal race, which begins on Sunday at 5:11 a.m. ET.

Turbide previously won silver in the S13 100m backstroke. The S13 category is reserved for the least severely visually impaired swimmers.

Canada’s youngest Paralympian in Tokyo, the 17-year-old Bennett, will swim for a medal in the men’s SB14 100m breaststroke on Sunday at 4:21 a.m. ET.

Like Turbide, Bennett enters the final in style after breaking the Canadian record with his time of 1:06.73, which placed him third in his heat.

Bennett, of Parksville, B.C., is looking for his first career Paralympic medal.

Canadian Sabrina Duchesne earned automatic entry into the women’s S7 400m freestyle at 4:10 a.m. ET.

Despite a personal best, Canada’s Nikita Ens joined Angela Marina and Aly Van Wyck-Smart in failing to advance out of qualifying.