Posted: August 24, 2005

Paralympics: Chantal Petitclerc wins two more gold medals at European Paralympic track and field championships

ESPOO, Finland-Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal won gold medals in the women's 200 and 1,500-metre wheelchair races Wednesday to highlight Canada's best day so far at the European Paralympic track and field championships for athletes with a disability.

Canada earned two gold, three silver and one bronze on the day and now total five gold, three silver and two bronze after three days of competition.

In the women's 1,500 metres in the T54 category for paraplegics, Petitclerc clocked four minutes and 06.03 seconds while Diane Roy of Sherbrooke, Que., took the silver in 4:07.07. Edith Hunkeler of Switzlerland was third in 4:07.57.

In the women's 200, Petitclerc notched her second win of the day and third gold of the competition clocking 30.03. Manuela Schar of Switzerland was second in 31.70 and Tatyana McFadden of the U.S., third in 31.74. Jessica Matassa of Windsor, Ont., was sixth in 33.35

"The medals are a great symbol of the accomplishments, but for me the sport is still young and I have a lot of goals," said Petitclerc, a quintuple Paralympic Games champion last year. "Canada is recognized as a leader in Paralympic sport. Our athletes receive the same kind of support as Olympic athletes, which is great. With the success we had in Athens last year, the people are taking a greater interest in Paralympic sport."

Earlier in the day, Dean Bergeron of Quebec City started the medal parade with a silver medal in the T52 1,500 for quadriplegics . Bergeron clocked 4:23.02 while Clayton Gerein of Pilot Butte, Sask., was fourth in 4:41.15.

"It was a tough race," said Bergeron. "But I am really happy about it."

In an exciting men's T38 800 metres for athletes with cerebral palsy, Blair Miller of Port Alberni, B.C., took the silver in a personal best 2:02.23.

"With 70 meters to go I thought I could get him, but with 50 to go my legs wouldn't move any faster," said Miller after he was nudged out by .04 second by Derek Malone of Ireland.

Stuart McGregor of Ottawa added a bronze medal with a solid performance clocking 52.10 in the T13 400 metres for visually impaired.

In another women's 200 wheelchair race, Chelsea Clark of Mississauga, Ont., Chelsea Lariviere of Mountain, Ont., Lisa Franks of Saskatoon and Michelle Stillwell of Nanoose Bay, B.C., were fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

Other Canadian finalists were: Jacques Martin of Sherbrooke, Que., fifth in the men's javelin for paraplegics; Eric Flemming of Oshawa, Ont., seventh in the men's javelin for cerebral palsy; and Eric Gauthier of St-Faustin, Que., seventh in the men's T53 800 wheelchair race.

Competition continues through to Saturday.