Canada misses podium on Day 9 of the Rio Paralympic Games

RIO DE JANEIRO – Two Canadian sailboat crews are in medal positions heading into Saturday’s final race at the Rio Paralympic Games.

Canada is currently second place in the SKUD (two-person boat) with John McRoberts and Jackie Gay of Victoria while Halifax’s Paul Tingley, Saskatoon’s Logan Campbelland Montreal’s Scott Lutes are sitting in third in the Sonar (three-person boat).

All three Canadian boats sailed two races on Friday for a total of 10 races per event on the sailing scoreboard. One race remains Saturday to determine the Paralympic sailing medals.

Canada was unable to reach the podium Friday and remains 13th overall in the country standings with seven gold, nine silver and eight bronze for 24 total medals.

In wheelchair rugby, Canada lost to Australia 63-62 in overtime in a rematch of the gold-medal final in London won by the Aussies four years ago.

The Canadians finished the preliminary round 2-1 and will play the United States on Saturday in semifinal action.

Australia won the three-minute overtime 7-6 after nothing could be decided in regulation. Zak Madell of Okotoks, Alta., once again led the Canadian attack with 39 goals.

In para-cycling, four Canadians competed on Friday with Quebec City’s Marie-Eve Croteau coming in as the top finisher in fourth place in the women’s combined T1-T2 30-kilometre road race. Croteau and Toronto’s Shelley Gautier raced in the combined with Gautier finishing sixth. Gautier was the only competitor in the T1 category.

“I am very proud of my race,” said Croteau. “I didn’t miss (the podium) by very much, and honestly, it had been a while since I last rode in a pack.

“I won’t hide it, for sure I was aiming for a podium. I understand that it was very close, that’s really unfortunate but with everything that happened in the last four years … I fought a lot, a lot, and the fact is that I had health issues so just the fact of being here, I can’t be disappointed.”

In the 71.1-kilometre road race for the combined men’s C1, C2 and C3 categories, Tristen Chernove of Cranbrook, B.C., finished 15th overall, despite a first-lap crash that damaged his bike and caused contusions and skin abrasions. Edmonton’s Ross Wilson, a C1 athlete, and Calgary’s Michael Sametz, a C3 rider, did not finish.

“It was pretty tight in the group, and wheels touched, and I crashed,” said Chernove, who has already won gold, silver and bronze medals.

“It’s just the nature of racing, it was early in the race in the first lap, when a lot of attacks were starting, and from the right side a bike came across and clipped my front wheel. I felt really good and I was moving with the top contenders and feeling really strong.”

In athletics, Brent Lakatos of Dorval, Que., will get a shot at a fourth medal at the Games. Lakatos, Curtis Thom of Mississauga, Ont., Tristan Smyth of Maple Ridge, B.C., and Alex Dupont of Clarenceville, Que., clocked 3:11.41 to advance to Saturday’s final of the T53/54 4×400-metres relay.

The Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team placed fifth with a 63-52 win over China. Quebec City’s Cindy Ouellet had a game-high 20 points, with Rosalie Lalonde of St-Clet, Que., adding 19.

There were three Canadian finalists in para-swimming.

Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., was sixth in the women’s S7 100-metre freestyle. Calgary’s Morgan Bird came seventh in the women’s 50 freestyle and Zack McAllister of Lethbridge, Alta., was eighth in the men’s S8 50 freestyle.

Routliffe and Bird each broke a Canadian record as the did Canada’s women’s 4×100-medley relay, which placed fifth with Aurelie Rivard of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Katarina Roxon of Kippens, N.L., Danielle Dorris of Moncton, N.B., and Bird.

“I’m very happy with how I swam,” said Bird. “A best time is all you can really ask for.”

Lauren Barwick closed out the para-dressage competition with a sixth-place finish in the Grade II Freestyle.

In para-archery, Karen Van Nest of Wiarton, Ont., was eliminated in the round of 16 after dropping her opening match to Nur Syahidah of Singapore 140-135 in the women’s individual compound.