Posted: August 26, 2005

Paralympics: Quebec City’s Dean Bergeron wins gold medal at European Paralympic track and field championships

ESPOO, Finland - Dean Bergeron of Quebec City and Andre Beaudoin of Cowansville, Que., finished 1-2 in the men’s 400 metre wheelchair race for quadriplegics on Thursday at the European Paralympic track and field championships for athletes with a disability.

Bergeron clocked one minute and 02.15 seconds for his third medal of the competition. He also took silver in the 1,500 and bronze in the 800 earlier this week. Beaudoin stepped on the podium for the first time finishing second in 1:04.33.

“I felt great,” said Bergeron. “I feel that I could have broken my world record today but the track here is slow. Still I am very pleased with my result.”

Other Canadian finalists were: Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg fifth in the men’s 200-metre paraplegic wheelchair race; Jim Shaw of Newcastle, Ont., and Kyle Pettey of Campbellford, Ont., fifth and 10th respectively in the men’s shotput for athletes with cerebral palsy; Eric Gauthier of St-Faustin, Que., and Jacques Bouchard of Alma, Que., sixht and eighth in another men’s 400-metre wheelchair race; and Chelsea Clark of Mississauga, Ont., Lisa Franks of Saskatoon and Michelle Stillwell of Nanose, Bay, B.C., sixth, seventh and eighth in a women’s 800 wheelchair race.

After four days of competition Canada has six gold, four silver and two bronze

Several other Canadians advanced to finals Thursday including Jeff Adams of Toronto, Blair Miller of Port Alberni, B.C., and Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal. Petitclerc will look for a fourth gold in Friday’s women’s 800 wheelchair race.

Competition continues until Saturday.

Source:Louis Daignault, Canadian Sport News