Triathlete admires Whitfield’s example
Canadian seeks matching gold at Rio
• Stefan Daniel was a toddler in 2000 when Simon Whitfield burst out of the pack to win triathlon’s debut on the Olympic stage in Sydney.
So the 19-year-old Calgary triathlete doesn’t remember that glorious moment the way Canadians of a certain vintage surely do — pride swelling and eyes welling as Whitfield grabbed the banner at the finish line and threw it to the ground, then bawled as O Canada played and the surprise gold medal was draped around his neck.
But Daniel has seen that inspirational video more than once. And he watched the l ive TV broadcast in 2008 as Whitfield shocked the sport’s establishment again by claiming Olympic silver in Beijing at age 33.
So with triathlon’s Paralympic debut set for Saturday, Daniel has allowed himself to think about recreating a Whitfield moment for himself and the country.
“I’ve met Simon a couple of times. He’s a great guy. I think it would be kind of cool to do something similar to what he did, to win a Paralympic gold medal for the first time, just like he did in the Olympics for the first time,” Daniel said.
“I haven’t been able to talk to him very much, but his performances have inspired me already. He’s definitely been a pretty big role model for me. Yeah, I’ ll see what I can do.”
Daniel, who was born with bilateral radial club hands, can do plenty. He completed a set of para- triathlon world championship medals with a gold in September 2015. He also won the junior national able-bodied crown last year.
Whitfield has come away impressed from their few chance meetings in Victoria. Whitfield lives there fulltime, while Daniel moved from Calgary to train with coach Carolyn Murray and immerse himself completely in the healthy triathlon culture Whitfield helped build decades ago.
“He’s a very gracious and classy young man,” said Whitfield. “He’s composed, works hard, pays attention to detail and is well coached. Carolyn is a great coach. So he’s in a good position. I’m excited for him.”
Daniel enters the Games as the reigning world champ, while Whitfield was more of a dark horse.
“When you’re a name and you’re a target, it’s a very different ball game,” said Whitfield. “All the other athletes in that race have played out a scenario in which he stars. He’s a main character. So for his visualization, he needs to keep that under control.”
Whitfield chased down race leader Stephan Vuckovic of Germany to claim his gold in storybook fashion. Whitfield’s dad was born in Australia, his grandmother was living there at the time of the Games, and Whitfield had moved there from Canada at age 16 to attend school.
Daniel’s move from Calgary to Victoria wasn’t quite as dramatic, but nonetheless beneficial.
“I really admire the courage that takes,” said Whitfield. “I was 16 when I moved off to Australia and eventually to Victoria on this quest. He’s on a quest. Moving out to Victoria was the right move to put himself in an environment where he can be fully immersed in his training and his preparation.
“It gives him that i ndependence, too. Particularly in Paralympic sport, you have to be very resilient. For a young man to move out to Victoria and take on the responsibilities that come with that, teaches him resilience that will go well beyond sport.”
Whitfield hasn’t felt the need to offer advice to the youngster, though. He knows that the most successful triathletes are those who get all they need from their support teams. And Daniel is secure in the knowledge that he has heard and done all the right things to get ready, including the move to Victoria, home of the national training centre.
“I know I’m in good hands out here. I’ve got a lot of people to work with. It’s been a good year.
“It’s a pretty sweet opportunity. It’s been kind of cool living away from home, just immersing myself in the whole sport culture here in Victoria. Yeah, I had to sacrifice some things. I couldn’t live the normal life of a teenager, I haven’t gone to school this semester. I’ve also been able to train more than I ever have and I am very prepared for this race.”
Murray has been instrumental in that preparation of course, helping him work on a more positive mental approach, finding reachable goals in training, keeping it light, getting him more comfortable in the spotlight.
“That’s one of the tough things for a young athlete, you have a lot of pressure and getting attention you’re not used to can add more pressure,” said Murray. ... “We work on it all the time and he’s a lot more comfortable talking through it. That’s a good sign of maturity.”
Like Whitfield was, Daniel is a strong runner who will be looking to stay with the leaders out of the water. They will swim 750 metres, bike 20 kilometres and finish with a five-kilometre run. Daniel will need to beat the likes of Frenchman Yannick Bourseaux, American Chris Hammer and two-time world champion Martin Schulz of Germany.
“I know I’m in good shape. I just need to make sure I’m nice and calm on the start line and everything will go well,” he said.