Posted: August 26, 2005

Paralympics: Jason Dunkerley and Andre Beaudoin win gold for Canada at European Paralympic track and field championships

ESPOO, Finland-Jason Dunkerley of Hamilton and Andre Beaudoin of Cowansville, Que., each won gold to highlight a seven-medal performance for Canada on Friday at the European Paralympic track and field championships for athletes with a disability.

In a torrential downpour, Dunkerley and his guide Greg Dailey of St. George, Ont., took the gold in the 1,500 metre race for the visually impaired clocking 4:12.28. Carlos Silva of Spain was second in 4:16.74 and Pedro Delgado of Spain third in 4:21.28.

“We just wanted to run hard and stay out of trouble,” said Dunkerley. “I knew that we were in the lead but I didn’t realize how fast we were going. I am really pleased with our run.”

In the men’s 200 wheelchair race for quadriplegics, Beaudoin earned his second medal this week clocking 34.82 seconds to edge teammate Dean Bergeron of Quebec City second in 35.22. For Bergeron it was his fourth medal of the competition.

Eric Gauthier of St-Faustin, Que., nothced his second and third medals this week placing second in both a 200 wheelchair race and the 4X400 relay with Curtis Thom of Mississauga, Ont., Colin Mathieson of Winnipeg and Carl Marquis of Sherbrooke, Que.

Five-time Olympian Jeff Adams of Toronto stepped on the podium for the first time placing second in the men’s 5,000 wheelchair race for paraplegics finishing only 0.08 seconds behind Marcel Hug of Switzerland.

Blair Miller of Port Alberni, B.C., added a bronze in the men’s 400 for athletes with cerebra palsy.

Other Canadian finalists were: Kyle Pettey of Campbelford, Ont., and Jim Shaw of Newcastle, Ont., fourth and fifth respectively in the men’s shotput for cerebral palsy; Diane Roy of Sherbrooke, Que., fifth in the women’s 800 wheelchair race for paraplegics; Jacques Martin of Sherbrooke fifth in the men’s javelin for paraplegics; Kris Vriend of Edmonton sixth in the women’s shot put for cerebral palsy; Andrea Holmes of Vancouver sixth in the women’s long jump for amputees in a personal best 4.22 metres and Stuart McGregor of Ottawa seventh in another men’s 1,500 for visually impaired.

The storm that marred Friday’s competition got rough at times with thunder and lightning. A handful of Canadians were among several competitors who chose not too race in those conditions. Among them Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal who was looking for a fourth gold this week in the women’s 800 wheelchair race.

After five days of competition Canada has eight gold, eight silver and three bronze for sixth in the medal standings. Britain leads with 16 gold- six silver and eight bronze, the Ukraine is second at 15-6-8 and Poland third at 13-13-6. Germany is fourth and the U.S., fifth.

The championship concludes Saturday with the men’s and women’s wheelchair marathon.