FOURTH PLACE FOR ALEXANDRE HAYWARD TO CONCLUDE PARIS 2024 PARALYMPIC GAMES
Paris, France (Sept. 7, 2024) – Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, New Brunswick finished fourth in the men’s C1-3 road race, held on Sept. 7, 2024 in Clichy-Sous-Bois, on the outskirts of Paris.
This is the third consecutive top 5 finish for the 27-year-old, who won bronze in the track individual pursuit on August 30 and finished fifth in the road individual time trial on Sept. 4.
“Deep down, I really wanted to finish in the top five,” said Hayward. “I knew it would be difficult with all the strong riders that would be there, but I figured my only chance was to follow the British and French wheels as much as possible and try to get into the first move. I had no idea that the first move was going to happen on the first lap. Luckily for me, I managed it and hung on for a handful of laps, until a lack of experience sent me to the back. I’m very happy with fourth place.
At the end of the race, Hayward finished one minute, 50 seconds behind the race lead held by Britain’s Finlay Graham (1:43.19). Frenchmen Thomas Peyroton-Dartet (+0s) and Alexandre Leaute (+24s) took silver and bronze.
Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Former swimmer Nathan Clement, who competed at Rio 2016 and won silver in the individual road time trial on Sept. 4, finished ninth, 16 minutes behind new Paralympic champion and time trial winner Jiaxin Chen (1:15:08h) of China. American Dennis Connors (+2:01m) and Colombian Juan Jose Betancourt Quiroga (+2:01m) took silver and bronze.
“We came to the Paralympics with one goal: to try and win a medal in this time trial,” said Clement. “I was able to do that, get on the podium and fulfill a childhood dream. Coming into the road race today, it was one of those things where, if the opportunity presented itself, I was going to go out there, see what I could do, try to mix it up with the pack. But as the race went on, with the weather, it was one of those days where I had to be careful and enjoy the experience.
Photo Credit: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com
Bronze medallist in the women’s C4-5 individual pursuit, Keely Shaw finished 15th in the road race, while Charles Moreau, who was competing in his third Paralympic Games after taking part in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, was unable to finish the road race following a crash. He finished seventh in the time trial.
Photo Credit: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com
Photo Credit: Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
Canada ends these Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with a total of four medals, won by Nathan Clement (silver – men T1-2 – road individual time trial), Kate O’Brien (bronze – women C4-5 – track 500m time trial), Keely Shaw (bronze – women C4-5 – track 3000m individual pursuit) and Alexandre Hayward (bronze – men C3 – track 3000m individual pursuit), as well as a world record set by Mel Pemble (4th – women C1-3 – track 500m time trial).
More information, including event results, can be found on the official Paris 2024 Paralympic Games website.
