May 19, 2024 - 12:04 PM
HUATULCO, Mexico - Canadian Mathis Beaulieu finished second in a World Triathlon Cup race Sunday to capture his first medal on the senior circuit.
Beaulieu, 19, of Quebec City, is in his first year at the senior level. He finished with a time of 58 minutes 15 seconds despite hot conditions.
"This race was just magical, he said. "It feels so good.
"Every sacrifice that I have made is paying off today."
Beaulieu finished the 750-metre swim in 35th spot, 20 seconds behind the front-runners. He and teammates Brock Hoel, of West Kelowna, B.C., and Liam Donnelly, of Campbellville, Ont., settled into a large pack of 38 athletes riding through the streets of Huatulco.
But following a chaotic second transition, the Canadian was 34th as a number of athletes fell in front of him while the pack parked their bikes and scrambled to get their shoes on for the five-kilometre run. Beaulieu systematically picked his way through the field to move into position for a podium finish, settling into a group of three for third after the first of two laps.
The Canadian moved past American John Reed and Hungary's Bece Bicsak and into contention for the gold medal. But Richard Murray of The Netlerlands finished first, eight seconds ahead of Beaulieu, while Reed took third in 58:21.
"It was just an unreal feeling crossing the finish line," said Beaulieu. "I didn’t know if I had the legs to do it.
"I am now running with (top names) and it gave me the confidence that I can stay with the best in the world."
Donnelly was 10th while Hoel finished 12th. Victoria’s Clayton Hutchins was 34th in 1:00:40.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2024.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2024