Posted: August 6, 2005

Athletics: Wheelchair racer Daniel Normandin finishes fourth in 100-metres at world track and field championships

HELSINKI- Daniel Normandin of Laval, Que., got Canada off to a great start at the world track and field championships on Saturday with a fourth place finish in the men's demonstration 100-metre wheelchair race final.

David Weir of Britain won the gold medal clocking 14.15 seconds with Kenny van Weeghel of the Netherlands second in 14.19 and Leo-Pekka Tahti of Finland third in 14.22. Normandin clocked a personal best 14.84 while Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg was sixth in 15.15.

Normandin was a late addition to the team only learning on Wednesday there was a spot available for him in the race. He said he was still feeling jet lag on Saturday. Demonstration wheelchair events are also scheduled for later this week in the 200 and javelin.

Canada also performed well in official events Saturday.

In men's discus, Jason Tunks of London, Ont., qualified for Sunday's final throwing 64.02 metres to finish second in his group. Tunks, sixth at the Olympics, says his priority is to enjoy the competition but has put together a strong season so far and hopes to make some noise in the final.

Three Canadian runners advanced to semifinals.

In the women's 800-metre, Diane Cummins of Victoria squeaked into Sunday's semi finishing seventh in her heat in 2:01.71. Cummins, a finalist at the last two world championships, was in a fast heat which included defending world champion Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique.

Cummins says she is starting a new plan in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is ready to try different strategies. On Saturday, she raced from lane one and her main priority was not to get boxed in. She'll be in lane one again on Sunday.

Canada also enjoyed a great day in the men's 1,500 heats as both Kevin Sullivan of Brantford Ont., and Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., advanced to Monday's semifinal.

Sullivan was fourth in his heat clocking 3:36.80. He said his performance provided him with a lot of confidence for the rest of the competition.

Brannen was eighth in his heat in 3:40.69 and said he achieved his goal of reaching the semifinals.

In the men's 100 sprint, Nicolas Macrozonaris of Montreal was eliminated in the quarterfinals clocking 10.48 seconds after a 10.40 in his opening heat. Pierre Browne of Mississauga, Ont., was eliminated in his first heat clocking 10.50.

This was only Macrozonaris' third race this season. He has been hampered by a groin injury which has slowed his training. He said Saturday that he didn't feel any pain but the form just wasn't there.

In the women's heptathlon, Jessica Zelinka of London, Ont., is in eighth place after four of seven events with 3,640 points. Eunice Barber of France leads the 26-women field at 3,973. Zelinka's highlight was a personal best in the shotput at 13.64 metres which was the 10th best in the competition. She was also fourth in the 200, sixth in the 100 hurdles and tied for 13th in high jump.

Competition continues Sunday. Besides Tunks and Zelinka, Canadians scheduled to compete are Dana Ellis of Kitchener, Ont., and Kelsie Hendry of Saskatoon in the women's pole vault, Matthew Kerr of Elora, Ont., in the men's 3,000 steeplechase, and Toyin Olupona of Orillia, Ont., in the women's 100 sprint.