Dunkerley kicks off track meet with gold in men’s 5,000M
TORONTO — Jason Dunkerley got Canada’s track and field team off to a winning start at the Parapan American Games on Monday.
The visually impaired runner from Ottawa raced to gold in the men’s 5,000-metre T11 event, finishing with his guide Josh Karanja in a Games-record time of 15 minutes, 39.54 seconds.
Chile’s Cristian Valenzuela Guzman was second in 16:21.31 while Ecuador’s Darwin Castro was third in 16:34.91.
“We started off with a consistent pace ... we were able to open up a gap,” said Dunkerley, who said the result sets him up well for the Rio Paralympics in 2016.
Wheelchair athlete Josh Cassidy of Port Elgin, Ont., also raced his way to the podium on Day 1 of the track meet at the CIBC Pan Am/ Parapan Am Athletics Stadium, taking silver in the men’s 5,000 T54 race. He finished second to American Daniel Romanchuk in 11:44.92.
In other early results Monday, swimmer Aurelie Rivard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., won gold in the women’s S10 100-metre butterfly, adding to the silver she won in breaststroke earlier in the Games, while teammate Samantha Ryan of Saskatoon captured the silver.
There was more gold at the velodrome as visually impaired cyclist Daniel Chalifour of Mont-Laurier, Que., along with guide Alexandre Cloutier, won the mixed individual pursuit ahead of Colombia and Brazil.
Karen Van Nest of Wiarton, Ont., settled for silver in women’s archery, blaming jitters in front of the home crowd for partially costing her gold.
Jane Karla Gogel of Brazil edged Van Nest 140-132.
The Canadian, who was slow to join sports after a motorcycle accident in 1985 left her an amputee, said the exposure Paralympic sport is getting in Toronto is a victory in itself.
“I’m hoping any televised para-sport encourages anyone in a chair, or anyone, whatever their disability, to get out and try sport,” Van Nest said.
“Because it’s the healthiest thing really, for your mind, for your body. It enhances your life. And you learn so many skills.”