Canadian wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos nearly retired after the Beijing Paralympics, but the pull of a medal proved too strong.

That was 13 years and three Games ago. Now the 41-year-old from Dorval, Que., has a whopping nine Paralympic medals, capturing his second silver in Tokyo in the 400 metres on Sunday B次元官网网址� and the busy track athlete still has four races to go.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 really ever think (nine medals) would be possible,B次元官网网址� Lakatos said, in the car ride back to the athletes village on Sunday. B次元官网网址淚 was considering retiring after Beijing, and my wife (Paralympic long jumper Stefanie Reid of Great Britain) and I, we decided to go for one more to try and get a medal, try to get one medal.

B次元官网网址淭hat was my goal going into London (in 2012). I thought IB次元官网网址檇 retire after London, I thought IB次元官网网址檇 retire after Rio (2016) and somehow IB次元官网网址檓 still here and that number is slowly growing. And so, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 really seem real but yeah, itB次元官网网址檚 nice.B次元官网网址�

Lakatos, who won silver in the 5,000 only a day earlier, crossed on Sunday in a personal best and Canadian record of 46.75 seconds. But he was disappointed to lose gold and his world record to Pongsakorn Paeyo. The Thai athlete won in 46.61, smashing LakatosB次元官网网址檚 world mark of 47.34 set in 2019.

B次元官网网址淚 know I should be happy with the result and I will be soon,B次元官网网址� Lakatos said. B次元官网网址淏ut right now, IB次元官网网址檓 frustrated because I thought that what I did, I thought that would be good enough for a gold. I really wanted to bring home a gold after the silver (Saturday). And it was just short today. So, IB次元官网网址檓 a little frustrated at the moment.B次元官网网址�

Also Sunday, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Stefan Daniel raced to bronze in the menB次元官网网址檚 triathlon, and the womenB次元官网网址檚 4x100-metre freestyle relay team of Aurelie Rivard, Morgan Bird, Katarina Roxon and Sabrina Duchesne won bronze. The relay medal was the fourth in swimming for Canada in Tokyo, and RivardB次元官网网址檚 third.

Canada has 11 medals through five days of competition. China leads the way with 103.

Lakatos suffered a blood clot in his spine after sliding into the boards while playing hockey at the age of six. He played wheelchair basketball for the University of Texas, where he studied engineering, and then qualified for the 2004 Athens Paralympics in track despite switching to wheelchair racing only eight months earlier.

Since his decision to stick around after Beijing, Lakatos has become one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 most decorated Paralympians B次元官网网址� and he shows no signs of slowing down.

B次元官网网址淚 guess my secret is that IB次元官网网址檝e stayed relatively injury-free throughout my career, and so thatB次元官网网址檚 allowed me to just keep on training,B次元官网网址� said Lakatos, who lives in Loughborough, England. B次元官网网址淎nd IB次元官网网址檓 really proud that IB次元官网网址檝e been able to PB (set personal best times) most years of my career B次元官网网址� be able to keep PBB次元官网网址檌ng at 41, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 good. So, I donB次元官网网址檛 know that thereB次元官网网址檚 any secret. Just stay healthy.B次元官网网址�

While Lakatos initially carved his path to medal podium in the sprint events, heB次元官网网址檚 become a major contender in the distance races as well. His 5,000 silver was his first in a distance event, and coming off a victory at the London Marathon a few months ago, heB次元官网网址檒l race that event in Tokyo as well.

Lakatos still has the 100, 800 and 1,500 B次元官网网址� including heats and finals in each B次元官网网址� before finishing with SundayB次元官网网址檚 marathon in Tokyo.

Wheelchair racers are capable of competing in more races per meet than able-bodied runners, Lakatos said, because the muscles in the arms are smaller and so recover faster. He also credited Athletics CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coaching and medical staff for his recovery each night.

In triathlon, Daniel, a 24-year-old from Calgary, battled sweltering 30 C heat to take third over a course that includes a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike ride, and five-kilometre run, in 59 minutes 22 seconds.

Daniel captured silver in the event at the 2016 Rio Games and has four world titles over the past five years, and so was intent on claiming gold in Tokyo. His first reaction to bronze, he said, was disappointment.

B次元官网网址淏ut honestly, these are the best guys in the world and there is no room for error so IB次元官网网址檓 pretty proud of my efforts today,B次元官网网址� said Daniel, who was born with bilateral radial club hands. B次元官网网址淚 gave absolutely everything I had on the day and that was good enough for bronze. I absolutely had to earn that bronze today.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t hurts winning (world titles) and then not at the Paralympics, but I will cherish this and IB次元官网网址檓 really motivated to keep it going here,B次元官网网址� added Daniel. B次元官网网址淚 have my work cut out for me towards Paris (2024 Paralympics), but right now IB次元官网网址檓 just going to enjoy this the best I can.B次元官网网址�

Paralympic rookie Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, N.B., raced to fourth in the womenB次元官网网址檚 race, taking one step over the finish line before collapsing in an exhausted heap.

The 25-year-old pharmacy student has been a front-line worker during the COVID-19 pandemic, administering vaccinations in Nova Scotia, while keeping up her training in preparation for Tokyo.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really happy. I gave it my all and emptied the tank completely,B次元官网网址� Frenette said. B次元官网网址淚 think it is normal for high performance athletes to always want more and IB次元官网网址檓 no different. I want more, but IB次元官网网址檓 also definitely really happy with today.B次元官网网址�

In the pool, Rivard, a 25-year-old from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., had a blistering anchor leg to lead the Canadian relay to fifth. They were upgraded to bronze after the U.S. and Great Britain were disqualified.

B次元官网网址淭he race was pretty exciting, it was a lot of fun,B次元官网网址� said Rivard, who has eight medals in her three Paralympics. B次元官网网址淚t was a nice moment to share with the girls, IB次元官网网址檓 really proud of them, and IB次元官网网址檓 also really happy to have contributed to Morgan and SabiB次元官网网址檚 first Paralympic medals.B次元官网网址�

Rivard has three individual races still to swim in Tokyo.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 sitting volleyball team picked up its first win of the Games, a 3-1 (25-16, 25-14, 15-25, 25-18) victory over Italy.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the volleyball we want to be playing. We knew we could improve on some areas of our game play and we did that today,B次元官网网址� said coach Nicole Ban. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 proud of the resiliency this group showed and we are ready to carry the momentum forward.B次元官网网址�

Heidi Peters of Neerlandia, Alta., led Canada (1-1) in scoring with 34 points.

Next up is Japan on Wednesday.

The Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 wheelchair basketball team picked up its first win of the tournament Sunday, a 74-64 win over South Korea.

Patrick Anderson of Fergus, Ont., led with 29 points while Nik Goncin of Regina added 23.

On the womenB次元官网网址檚 side, Tamara Steves of Mississauga, Ont., put up 17 points as Canada downed Australia 76-37.

The women finish the preliminary round second in their group with a 3-1 record and will face the U.S. in the quarterfinals Tuesday.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press