|
The Canadian Age Groupers dominated the field today at the 2006 World Duathlon Championships in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Canada won more gold medals than any other nation with 9 out of a possible 25 – 5 of Canada’s 9 gold medals came from the men. Canada was also dominant on the podium winning 21 medals just one behind the Americans who had 22. Canada had 62 top-10 performances today – 36 by the men and 26 by the women. Canada also had 33 athletes finish in the top 5 in their respective categories; further prove of how Canada dominated the event.
The 17th World Duathlon Championships – the first time the event has been in Canada – got off to a flying start as Dan Morwood, from Kenora, Ontario won the Men’s 30-34 category with a time of 1:55:22. Morwood’s blistering pace was all the more impressive as he had to run and bike through rain for the entire day. Temperatures in Corner Brook hovered around 18 degrees Celsius.
Gold medal #2 came from London, Ontario’s, Jim Burrows. Burrows won the 45-49 division in convincing fashion beating American, Brian Barker, by almost 3 minutes; Burrows crossed the finish line in 1:59:07.
David Field also won a gold medal for Canada. Field, from Barry’s Bay, Ontario, crushed the competitors in the 50-54 catetory. Field won the race by more than 3 minutes and finished in 2:01:34. Bill Wheeler, from London, Ontario, was third in this category in 2:05:39.
The gold medals continued for Canada in the Men’s 60-64 competition. Frank King from Toronto was 46 seconds better than his closest rival and won a gold medal with a time of 2:12:57.
Geoff Wright, from Orleans, Ontario won the Men’s 75-79 category by more than 18 minutes – the most one-sided male victory of the day. Wright blew away the field with a terrific time of 3:24:29.
One of Canada’s four gold medals from the female team came from France Bordeleau. Bordeleau, from Outremont, Quebec, hung on to outlast fellow Canadian, Nancy Chong, from Midhurst, Ontario by 17 seconds. Bordeleau was in at 2:16:04, while Chong crossed in 2:16:21.
The Female 45-49 category was dominated by the Canadians. Nancy Burden, from Edmonton took home the gold, Sandra Yaworski, from Calgary, won the silver and Lynda Desmeules, from Jonquiere, Quebec won the bronze. Burden won the race easily with a time of 2:08:54 almost 8 minutes ahead of Yaworski who finished in 2:16:51. Desmeules came in at 2:17:38.
Carolyn Silvey from Toronto won Canada’s 8th gold medal of the day as she beat out American Anne Mitchell by more than 5 minutes. Silvey won the Women’s 50-54 division in 2:20:27. Dawn Hamel, from Cold Water, Ontario was third in this category in 2:26:27.
Canada’s final Gold medal came from Sharon Oleskiw who toyed with the field in the Women’s 60-64 division. Oleskiw, from Port Colbourne, Ontario finished the 10km run, 40km bike and 5km run in 2:33:47 more than 14 minutes ahead of New Zealand’s Ann Bould.
One other Canadian female finished on the podium today in Corner Brook. Lisa Balerna from Ottawa was third in the 35-39 category with a time of 2:19:21.
Canada’s 21 medals today included: 9 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze. Other podium finishers on the Men’s side included Chris Stipdonk, from L’orignal, Ontario. Stipdonk was third in the Men’s 20-24 category with a time of 1:58:29.
Also third today in Corner Brook was Chris Gairns, from Fredericton, NB. Gairns was 21 seconds out of second place in the 25-29 category with a time of 1:56:29.
Peter Doyle and Michael McDonald finished second and third respectively in the Men’s 40-44 division. Doyle, from Kingston, Ontario, crossed the finish line in 1:59:09, while McDonald, from Dartmouth, NS, came in at 1:59:35.
Alan Blakey, from Cambridge, Ontario, won a bronze medal in the Men’s 70-74 division. Blakey’s time was 2:47:04.
And finally, Jimmy Georgas, from Collingwood, Ontario, won a silver medal in the Men’s 80-84 category with an impressive time of 3:00:56, just 105 seconds away from the gold medal.
| 
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
