Posted: June 5, 2005

Paralympics: Diane Roy wins gold medal at international track and field competition for athletes with a disability

(CSN):

ARBON, Switzerland- Diane Roy and Jacques Martin, both of Sherbrooke, Que., won two medals apiece on Saturday to open the Swiss Championships track and field competition for athletes with a disability.

In the women’s 800-metre wheelchair race, Roy clocked one minute and 51.44 seconds for the gold edging Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland. However Hunkeler turned the tables on Roy in the 400 as she won in 55.36 with Roy second in 55.03.

“In both races I posted strong times, particularly at this point in the season,” said Roy, 33, a double bronze medallist at the Paralympic Games last year. “So I’m pretty pleased although it would have been nice to win both races. It certainly sets me up well for my two races tomorrow (on Sunday).”

Martin earned silver medals in both the javelin and the discus. He threw 24.98 and 30.98 metres respectively in those events.

“My javelin was average but I came back strong in discus with my best throw this year,” said Martin, 44, who continues a strong comeback from a serious operation which left him off the playing field for eight months last year. “In fact, I haven’t thrown that well in a long time. That augurs well for the bigger international competitions later this year.”

In the men’s 10,000 wheelchair race, Marcel Young of Switzerland won the gold clocking 21:19.8 while Michel Juteau of St-Jean-Baptiste, Que., was sixth in 21:33.80.

“I was still feeling the effects from marathon last weekend,” said Juteau, seventh at the Oesingen Marathon in Switzerland last Saturday. “I posted a good time but I’m disappointed not to finish with the lead pack on such a fast track. Certainly I’ll have things to work on when I get back home.”

Competition ends Sunday.