Paratriathlon star looking strong
Calgary’s Daniel also competes in able-bodied junior elite events
There isn’t much Stefan Daniel would want to change about the way his season has unfolded.
He was first across the finish line in an ITU world paratriathlon race at Monterrey, Mexico, won gold in London and finished second at Rio de Janeiro.
The latter result was particularly notable as triathlon will make its debut in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio and Daniel has every attention of being on the start line next September.
That’s why the next few weeks are key for the 18-yearold from Calgary. He’ll be in Hawrelak Park on Saturday for a paratriathlon event, which consists of a 750-metre swim, a 20-km bike ride and a five-km run.
It is one of several races during this weekend’s ITU World Triathlon Edmonton. A solid result plus a good showing in the Grand Final on Sept. 15-19 at Chicago and he’ll be well on his way to the Olympics.
“Everybody is looking toward Rio and trying to gather up points now, so these next races are pretty critical,” he said. “Knowing the area (in Edmonton) and knowing I’ve had a good race there will calm me down a bit before the race. Usually, I don’t get too tense until the day of.”
That, however, is just part of his story. Daniel has also been competing in the ablebodied junior elite events and, in spite of the fact he is at a disadvantage in the pool, he’s put up results there, too.
The highlight, he said on Tuesday from Calgary, was winning the Canadian junior championship in Quebec in July.
“There’s tons of competition in junior and I really think that helps me progress in paratriathlon,” said Daniel, who is also readying himself for his first year of business studies at the University of Calgary. “I”d love to be able to continue to do both.”
Daniel was born with bilateral radial club hands, although his right is affected significantly more than his left. With a shortened forearm and lack of grip strength, his bike had to be modified so that he could shift gears and brake.
In the water, he can’t pull his body through the water with as much power as an able-bodied swimmer, but in his paratriathlon classification — PT4, the deepest of categories on the men’s side — he is not at a disadvantage.
Because his focus is on securing a trip to Rio, he won’t compete in the junior race in Edmonton. But he intends to continue racing in those events next year, which will be his last season as a junior before moving up to the under-23 category, where the field will be even more competitive.
Someday, he might even follow in the footsteps of cross-country skier Brian McKeever, who in 2010 was the first Canadian named to both the Paralympic and Olympic teams. Legally blind, the Calgarian was later dropped from the men’s 50-kilometre race based on performances of the other racers on the national team. He went on to win three gold medals in the Paralympics.
“I do love able-bodied racing,” said Daniel. “I do want to compete at a high level in that, too. It is a goal of mine, for sure.
“My one challenge is getting into a spot in the swim because that’s obviously where my disability is, but if I’m able to come out close to the front, I’m constant on my running and biking.”
The star of Canada’s paratriathlon team has wasted little time making his ascent. A competitive swimmer and runner, he didn’t even start competing in paratriathlon until 2013, then won a bronze medal at the world championships in his rookie season before claiming silver at the 2014 worlds in Edmonton.
On Monday, Daniel will join his family and head over to the Tour of Alberta finish area. His cousin, Greg Daniel, is competing with the Axeon Cycling Team in a race that starts in Grande Prairie on Wednesday and finishes in Edmonton’s Sir Winston Churchill Square.
His brother Christian, who has cerebral palsy, is a swimmer who has competed with Daniel under the umbrella of Swimming Canada’s national development team.
“I’ve done a lot of racing this year,” Daniel said. “It’s been a pretty heavy load, but it’s been good.” jireland@edmontonjournal.com Twitter.com/jirelandEJ