Canadian track cyclist Keely Shaw captured bronze in the women’s C4 3,000-metre individual pursuit for the second straight Paralympics on Friday in Paris.
The Midale, Sask., native 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, earning Canada’s third medal of these Games.
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.
Shaw races in the category for athletes with lower-limb impairment. She suffered partial paralysis on her left side when she fell off a horse at the age of 15.
The 30-year-old advanced to Friday’s bronze-medal race after finishing third overall among the field of eight riders in the qualifying heats.
Fellow Canadian Alexandre Hayward will also race for bronze on Day 2 after posting the fourth-fastest time in the men’s C3 individual pursuit (3:26.940).
Hayward, a 27-year-old from Quispamsis, N.B., is targeting his first Paralympic medal during the 10:26 a.m. ET race against Spain’s Eduardo Santas, who was only 1.1 seconds faster than Hayward in qualifying.
Great Britain’s Jaco van Gass lowered his world record set in Tokyo with a mark of 3:15.488, while fellow British cyclist Finlay Graham also advanced to the gold-medal bout.
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.
- 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.