VICTORIA—Accomplished triathlete, coach and engineer, Sasha Beck, is set to lead Triathlon Canada as the organization’s new president of the Board of Directors, and will guide Team Canada into Pontevedra, Spain for the 2026 World Triathlon Grand Final, September 23-27.
Beck brings a unique combination of athlete experience, sport governance, professional leadership and a deep commitment to growing an inclusive triathlon community across Canada to the position. She joined the Triathlon Canada Board of Directors in 2023 as an athlete director, bringing the athlete perspective to the national sport organization’s governance and strategic planning.
“I am honoured to take on the role of president of Triathlon Canada and to continue giving back to the sport that has given me so much,” said Beck. “I have experienced triathlon from many perspectives – as an athlete, guide, coach, volunteer, and Board member – and I understand the opportunities and challenges that exist across our sport. I’m excited to work collaboratively with our international and national sport partners, along with provincial sport organizations, Board, and staff to support the athletes and coaches as we build the future of triathlon in Canada.”
Beck grew up competing through the club, provincial, national and international levels with Triathlon Ontario and Triathlon Canada. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, where she was also a member of the varsity swim team.
Her commitment to triathlon expanded beyond competition in 2014 when she became a guide in the Para triathlon program. Beck went on to guide Christine Robbins at the sport’s Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. The experience sparked a lasting commitment to creating greater opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport.
Since retiring from competition, Beck has continued to coach and mentor youth and adult athletes in Ontario, working to make triathlon more inclusive and accessible at the introductory level. She is also a co-founder and development coach with Paratriathlon Ontario.
Professionally, Beck worked for Enbridge Gas leading an Operational Change Management team, where she supports large- scale initiatives across North America.
Beck’s appointment as president, responsible for leading Triathlon Canada into its next chapter on the road to LA 2028, comes as Triathlon Canada prepares to send one of its largest and most diverse contingents to the 2026 Grand Final, with Canadian athletes earning nominations across every major competition category in Pontevedra: elite, Para, U23, junior, mixed relay and age group events.
Triathlon Canada named a group of 18 athletes (12 women and six men) determined to achieve their performance goals while wearing the maple leaf across all elite race categories at the season-ending World Triathlon Championship Series event.
A medal-winning trio of two Paralympians and one Olympian will be counted on to lead a high-charged group of young Canucks in their Grand Final pursuit.
Two-time Paralympic medallist, and six-time World Champion, Stefan Daniel (Calgary), will look to get back onto the Grand Final podium. The Calgarian seized his sixth World Triathlon Para Championship title two years ago in Spain. He will be joined by Paralympic bronze medallist at Paris 2024, Leanne Taylor (Oak Bluff, Man.), who will make her return to the Grand Final start line after taking last year off to have a baby.
Olympian Charles Paquet (Port-Cartier, Que.) will look to continue his breakthrough season highlighted with becoming the second Canadian male ever to climb onto the World Triathlon Championship Series podium when he took the bronze in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Coming off matching a career-best seventh-place finish on the World Triathlon Championship Series, Martin Sobey (Charlottetown) is also ready to take on the world’s best in the men’s elite race.
“These five athletes are fiercely determined to continue this program’s tradition of excellence at the Grand Final. They are focused on performance every time they hit the start line,” said Dan Proulx, high-performance director, Triathlon Canada. “With our top athletes continuing to lead the way, we are also looking to see many of our development athletes gain valuable experience at this event.”
Experienced athletes – Tyler Mislawchuk, Mathis Beaulieu, Desirae Ridenour and Sophia Howell – all earned spots on the 2026 Grand Final team, but have sustained injuries during races this summer, particularly over the past month, and will not be able to compete in the Grand Final as planned. Each are working closely with their medical teams and managing recovery well – with potential to compete in races later this season.
Triathlon Canada also named seven athletes from across the country who will compete in U23 racing.
U23 Women: U23 Men
Maira Carreau (Montreal) Blake Harris (Sanford, Man.)
Beatrice Filion (Candiac, Que.) Lukas Vadeika (Mount Albert, Ont.)
Isla Britton (Montreal)
Sidney Clement (Vancouver)
Alexandra Campbell (Kingston, Ont.)
“The depth of our U23 program, particularly on the women’s side, has greatly improved,” said Proulx. “This is a promising group of athletes who are aiming for success at the highest level. We’re working to ensure they have the tools and experience they need to succeed well beyond 2028.”
Five junior-level athletes will also gain additional international experience.
Junior Women: Junior Men:
Sarah-Maude Levesque (Drummondville, Que.) Robi Racine (St-Paul, Que.)
Maelly Lamontagne (Carignan, Que.)
Brooke Rousselle (Calgary)
Jeanne Gadbois (Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.)
Canada will also field the following teams in both the U23 Mixed Relay and Para Mixed Relay.
U23 Mixed Relay: Robi Racine; Nico Stockwell; Sidney Clement; Alexandra Campbell
Para Mixed Relay: Stefan Daniel; Leanne Taylor; Margot Wehrle (Victoria) and Elani Bykowski (Lethbridge, Alta. – Guide)
From the next generation of athletes to Canada’s most experienced international competitors, the Pontevedra Grand Final will showcase the breadth of Canada’s triathlon community on the world including more than 500 Canadian athletes who are expected to take part in Age Group competitions throughout the annual international triathlon festival.
Complete details for the 2026 Grand Final can be found here.
