MONTRÉAL — A new generation of Canadian triathlon talent delivered breakthrough performances on home soil Saturday, with teenagers Beatrice Filion and Brooke Rousselle racing to silver and bronze medals in the elite women’s competition at the Americas Triathlon Cup in Montréal.
Competing on the iconic course at Parc Jean-Drapeau, 19-year-old Beatrice Filion (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) thrilled the home crowd by claiming the silver medal in 58:47, finishing just three seconds behind American winner Annie Fuller (58:44). Filion’s memorable day didn’t end at the finish line – she quickly departed the race venue to attend her sister’s wedding.
“It’s been a crazy day, and I’m so happy to have won the silver medal. It is my first international podium so it’s pretty special,” said Filion, who added that a few small tactical mistakes may have cost her the win. “To do it in front of my family and friends makes it even better. I’m very proud that all of the hard work I put in this winter is paying off on the course. I’m very grateful for my race and for how well I’m performing at this stage of the season.”
The same can for sure be said for 18-year-old Calgarian, Brooke Rousselle.
The quickly rising standout from the Stampede City also secured the first international podium of her career, crossing the line in 58:53 to earn the bronze medal.
“I am super excited about this podium,” said Rousselle, who was looking for a top-nine finish heading into the race. “This third-place finish gives me a lot of confidence of my form heading into a triple week of racing.”
Rousselle bolted out of T2 with the eventual podium finishers, clocking the third-fastest run split of the day to move onto the podium.
“I achieved some great milestones in the race. It was exciting to see the consistency in my swim and that I made my second front pack ever. The group came together on the bike, but I was optimistic about my run form. When we got off the bike, I ended up running in a group of three for the entire run. I didn’t have the kick to get onto the top spots of the podium, but overall, there were so many wins within my day.”
Athletes tackled a fast and technical sprint-distance course that began with a 750-metre swim in the Olympic Basin at Parc Jean-Drapeau before transitioning to a 20-kilometre bike ride around the famed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve Formula 1 track. The race concluded with a fast 5-kilometre run through the park in Canada’s cultural capital.
Canada narrowly missed placing three women on the podium, with Victoria’s Colette Reimer finishing fourth in 59:23.
In the elite men’s race, Lukas Vadeika (Mount Albert, Ont.) led the Canadian contingent with a fourth-place finish in 53:53, just three seconds shy of the podium.
Chile’s Daniel Ubilla Sabada captured the men’s title in 53:41, followed by Mexico’s Angel Yael Yépez Meza (53:47) and American Cole Jamieson (53:50).
The day’s racing also featured the World Triathlon Para Series, where Canada’s Leanne Taylor (Oak Bluff, Man.) continued her return to elite competition after becoming a mother. Racing in the women’s wheelchair classification, Taylor finished fourth in 1:06:33, continuing her steady progression back onto the international stage.
