Vernon’s Jack Screen, the youngest member of Canada’s eight-member team at the World University Triathlon Championships in Maceio, Brazil, placed 46th overall in the men’s race.
The University of Victoria humanities major finished the swim, cycling and running course in 1 hour 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
The only other Canadian man participating was Leo Roy from Nicolet, Qué., who was 21st overall in 56:19.
Brazil’s Antonio Bravo Neto won the men’s race with a time of 53:35, edging out Darr Smith from the United States at the line. Switzerland’s Fabian Meeusen finished four seconds back in the bronze-medal position at 53:39.
Canada’s Kamille Larocque came up just short in her charge to the podium, finishing fourth in the women’s race.
Larocque, a second-year business student from Gatineau, Qué., was steady throughout the swim, bike and run of the sprint distance format, clocking a time of 1:00:15.
“I am really proud of my race today I was able to do a great swim which got me into the first pack, and then I worked hard on the bike with a great bike group and finally, I gave it all on the run course,” said the 22-year-old Larocque, who is the reigning U23 national champion.
The Canadian finished just 10 seconds off the podium pace. Germany’s Celine Kaiser was first across the line in a time of 59:24. Italy’s Asia Mercatelli was next best at 59:29 followed by Poland’s Magdalena Sudak in the bronze medal position at 1:00:05.
Four other Canadian student-athletes hit the start line in the field of 40 women. Colette Reimer, a third-year Victoria Vikes student and teammate of Screen, was solid in 13th place. Reimer, a triple gold medallist at the Canada Summer Games last month, posted a time of 1:01:31.
Other Canadian women’s results included: Alexandrine Coursol (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) who attends Arizona State University, finishing 24th at 1:04:13; Nataliia Kolesova (originally from Dnipro, UKR) and now enrolled at the University of Regina, placing 28th at 1:05:00; and Raphaëlle Rivard (Drummondville, Que.) of Université de Sherbrooke, in 39th spot with a time of 1:11:47. Laval University’s Claudie Simard (Saguenay, Que.) did not start.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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