PARAPANAMERICAN RECORDS FOR TEAM CANADA’S TRACK CYCLISTS AT SANTIAGO 2023

Santiago, CHE (Nov. 24, 2023) – Canada’s para-cyclists rose to the challenge on the second day of competition at the Velódromo Parque Peñalolén for the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games in Chile on November 24, with all four starters winning medals.

After winning silver in the women’s C1-5 individual time trial on November 23, Paralympian para-alpine skier Mel Pemble, 23, of Victoria, BC, finished second in the women’s C1-3 individual pursuit qualifying behind American Jamie Renee Whitmore, whom she faced in the gold medal final. After a tight battle, Pemble (4:10.103m) edged out her rival by just 0.109 seconds. Paula Perez Caballero (4:14.851m) took bronze.

“I feel really surprised,” said Pemble. “The Individual Pursuit is not my best event, to be honest so qualifying second was a bit of a surprise and I wasn’t super happy with my performance with the time that I got, I knew I had more in me. It made the battle even sweeter in the final, in terms of having nothing to lose, and I went out with a really good plan and everything that could have happened, happened. I had to kick it off a notch in the last kilometre and it paid off.”

Silver medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the same discipline, Keely Shaw, 29, of Saskatoon, SK, was ready to give it her all in the women’s C4-5 after coming within 0.65s of the podium in the road time trial on November 19. Motivated by her performances of the week, Shaw set a new Parapan American Games qualifying record in the C4 women’s event with her time of 3:46.93 to advance to the gold medal final. In the end, she lost out to American Samatha Bosco (3:45.752), who beat her to the gold medal. Paula Ossa Veloza, of Colombia, took the bronze.

“Silver can be a hard pill to swallow with gold on the table,” said Shaw. “At the end of the day, our process was exactly what it needed to be. We came here knowing it was going to be a rehearsal for the upcoming World Championships and then later on the Paralympic Games, so I think we learned a lot about what we needed to do.”

Keely Shaw, Mel Pemble, Alex Hayward and Mike Sametz
Photo Credit: Claudio Santana/Getty Images

On a mission for his third medal in three races, track rookie Alex Hayward, 26, of Quispamsis, NB, who had won gold in the men’s C1-5 road time trial and bronze in the men’s C1-5 track time trial, was aiming to complete his medal collection in the men’s C1-3 individual pursuit, shattering the Parapan American Games men’s C3 record, with his qualifying time of 3:27.869m, propelling him automatically into the gold-medal final against Colombia’s Alejandro Perera Arango (3:32.491m), where he beat his own record to take gold.

“This is the first time I’m doing two pursuits back-to-back,” said Hayward. “Having had a bit of a rough season, to prove to myself that I can do two pursuits back-to-back and put down my two best times ever felt amazing.”

Satisfied with his performance after several years off the bike due to injury, Rio 2016 Paralympian Mike Sametz, 27, of Calgary, AB, who won bronze in the C1-5 Individual Time Trial on November 19 qualified third in the Men’s C1-3 Individual Pursuit, good for bronze medal final that he won by catching Colombia’s Esneider Muñoz.

“This is my first pursuit since the Rio Paralympic Games, so it’s nice to see where I’m at,” added Sametz, who is hoping to share the podium with Hayward once again on Sunday’s road race.

More information, including results and the full schedule of events, can be found at www.santiago2023.org. Competition for Team Canada’s paracyclists conclude on Nov. 26 with the road race.

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