One Saanich athlete has a silver medal in her pocket while another is primed to go at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.
Mount Douglas secondary grad Hannah Henry, 19, helped Canada win silver as part of the four-person mixed triathlon relay on Monday. The team consisted of Desirae Ridenour from Cowichan Bay and two men, Charles Paquet and Alexis Lepage, both from Quebec.
Each member of the foursome did a 300-metre swim, 6.6-kilometre bike ride and 1.5 km run. They finished the triathlon relay in second with a time of 1:20:51.
Meanwhile, SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Erin Attwell, 20, is literally chilling out awaiting her first event, the 4,000-metre track cycling team pursuit. Qualifying goes Thursday morning and the finals are Thursday night. SheB次元官网网址檒l also compete in the road race on Aug. 10.
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When Attwell and her teammates Maggie Coles-Lyster, Miriam Brouwer and Laurie Jussaume arrived at the Videna velodrome for a training ride they encountered 15.5 C temperatures inside, same as the outside. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a lot cooler than the temperature-controlled track they regularly train on in Milton, Ont.
B次元官网网址淗opefully they turn up the heat,B次元官网网址� Attwell said Tuesday from Lima. B次元官网网址淒oing team pursuit practice with thick jerseys and leg warmers isnB次元官网网址檛 ideal, but we are making do.B次元官网网址�
The track has mesh walls above the stands, so even though it has a newly added roof it is still open air, she said. TheyB次元官网网址檙e aiming to ride the 4km distance in less than four minutes and 28 seconds and so far the cold hasnB次元官网网址檛 seemed to slow them down.
B次元官网网址淎s long as we execute we should do well,B次元官网网址� added Attwell, who also races for the Cyclery semipro team out of Ottawa. B次元官网网址淭he cold, however, is a factor we did not consider, but everyone is in the same boat.B次元官网网址�
Maple RidgeB次元官网网址檚 Coles-Lyster is the sprinter of the bunch and will ride in the lead spot with Attwell second, Jussaume third and Brouwer fourth (cyclists in the team pursuit take turns rotating through and to B次元官网网址減ullB次元官网网址� the group from the front).
The team is loaded with pedigree. Jussaume and Attwell are both former junior national road race champs and Coles-Lister medalled at the world junior track championships.
If Attwell can make it on the podium, it will be the second time her and Henry have hit the podium at a major games, as they both medalled twice at the 2015 Western Canada Games in Wood Buffalo, Alta.
Cycling CanadaB次元官网网址檚 selections for the Pan Am Games were made in May and the team ran through a big camp in early July.
B次元官网网址淲e are fortunate enough to not only race on the track but also compete for a medal in the road events as well,B次元官网网址� added Attwell, the 2016 national junior road race champ.
B次元官网网址淥ur team is very technically sound and if we pull off a perfect ride in that regard, we could have a very fast time. Hopefully placing us on the top step [of the podium].B次元官网网址�
The 2019 Pan Am Games run from July 26 to Aug. 11 and has about 6,700 athletes from 41 nations.
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