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September 8th 2006, ASSEN, The Netherlands - Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal won gold Thursday in the women’s 200-metre wheelchair race for paraplegics in a meet record time to highlight a four-medal performance for Canada at the world track and field championships for athletes with a disability.
Dean Bergeron of Quebec City, Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que., and Robert Hughes of Brampton, Ont., each added a bronze. After five days of competition Canada has 12 medals: three gold, four silver and five bronze.
In the women’s 200, Petitclerc notched her third medal of the competition edging American Tatiana McFadden at the finish. Petitclerc’s time was a meet record 29.07 seconds. Tracey Ferguson of Toronto was eighth.
‘’It was a super close race and I stayed in control,’’ said Petitclerc, second in the 100 and 800 earlier this week. ‘’I really focused on having a strong technical race with a solid start and fast top speed. I can tell you I was eager for the finish near the end. My arms were feeling pretty heavy.’’
In the men’s 100 wheelchair race for quadriplegics, Bergeron overcame some bad luck to get the bronze medal in 18.20 seconds. In the warm-up, Bergeron’s chair was damaged after he was bumped by another competitor from behind. Canadian team mechanics scrambled to get his wheelchair repaired on time for the start.
‘’It completely broke my focus for the race,’’ said Bergeron, also third in the 400 earlier this week. ‘’It’s a bit disappointing because this was an important race for me. I was going in as the top qualifier. I didn’t get as good a start as in the semi and that cost me at least one placing. I was pleased though with my finish and that gives me confidence for the 200 later this week.’’
Later Thursday, Bergeron’s misfortunes continued as he blew a tire in the 5,000-metre race and didn’t finish.
Hughes earned his medal in the men’s shotput final for cerebral palsy athletes with an 8.19 metre toss while Lakatos took third in the T53 classification 100-metre wheelchair race clocking 15.25 seconds.
Other Canadian final results were: France Gagné of Quebec City fourth in the men’s discus for visually impaired; Jacques Martin of Sherbrooke, Que., fifth in the men’s wheelchair discus; Stefanie Reid of Thornhill, Ont., sixth in the women’s 200 for amputees; and Kyle Pettey of Campbellford, Ont., and Shane Risto of Niagara Falls, Ont., sixth and seventh in the men’s shotput for cerebral palsy
In the men’s 800 for visually impaired, Jason Dunkerley of Hamilton, the 1,500 winner earlier this week, was the fastest semifinalist clocking 2:06.83 to advance to the final.
In the women’s 1,500 wheelchair semifinal, Diane Roy of Sherbrooke qualified second in her heat to advance to Friday’s final while Ferguson and Keira-Lyn Frie of Saskatoon were eliminated.
In the men’s 800 wheelchair race for paraplegics heats, Josh Cassidy of Port Elgin, Ont., and James Baker of Ottawa advanced to the semis while Carl Marquis of Sherbrooke was eliminated.
Eliminated in semifinal races were Dustin Walsh of Coquitlam, B.C., in the men’s 200 for visually impaired and Megan Muscat of St. Thomas, Ont., in the 200 for cerebral palsy.
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