Riech, Stewart earn medals to conclude 2019 World Para Athletics Championships

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Victoria’s Nathan Riech won a gold medal the men’s 1500-metre T38 finals Friday as the 2019 world para athletics championships drew to a close.

Riech won the event in a championship-record time of four minutes 2.04 seconds, while teammate Liam Stanley, also from Victoria, was fifth.

In the men’s shot put F46 final, Greg Stewart of Kamloops, B.C., threw for a personal-best 16.3 metres to take the silver medal.

Sarah Mickey was fifth in the women’s F55 discus and Austin Smeenk finished fourth in the men’s T34 800 metres.

Canada finished the championships with six medals (three gold, two silver, one bronze) and 14 top-5 performances.

Decorated wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos of Laval, Que., led the way with three medals (two gold, one silver).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2019.