The Canadian mixed relay finished eighth at home

Encouraged by the Montreal crowd, Jeremy Briand and Amy Legault faced off against their go-to World Triathlon Series during the mixed relay of the Groupe Copley World Triathlon on Sunday in Old Port Montreal.

Legault and Brian join Ontarians Kira Gupta Balthasar and British Columbian Brock Howell in a tough superhero race. The four athletes swam 300 meters, cycled for 6.6 km and ran for 2 km.

19-year-old Gupta Balthazar was the first Canadian to play. At the end of the race, I was left without the groups formed by the bike and dropped to seventh before seeing Hoel take over.

Conversely, Canadians struggled to raise the rating, especially with Czechs and Australians. However, the gap widened for Legault once he entered the race. Jeremy Briand, the last torchbearer in the formation, crossed the finish line in eighth place and stopped the clock at 1h28m8sec.

The performance that Aimee Legault still considers a fan of the young team is scheduled for this weekend in Montreal.

“It’s still a good result given our young age as a team, but also our less important experience,” said Legault, who worked with Australian Natalie van Coevorden during the race. “I did everything to stay as close to the race as possible, but unfortunately there was a small gap.”

Jeremy Briand was relieved after crossing the finish line to the applause of spectators gathered on the wide pavement surface.

“I wanted to do my best. In the relay we have to expect a lot of unknowns, especially when starting from the end. We don’t know what situation we’ll find ourselves in. Today I’ve been racing mostly alone. It’s part of the relay and you should always be ready. “.

Soon, representatives from the United States, New Zealand and Italy formed the leading group during the race and fought for various medals. In the end, it was the Americans who had the last word to win the gold medal. They clocked a time of 1 hour 25 minutes 27 seconds, followed by the New Zealanders (+5 seconds) and the Italians (+19 seconds).

unforgettable experience

Participation in such a competition for the first time in her career is already a defining moment for an athlete. Live it all at home, in front of your loved ones, make everything special for Emy Legault.

“It was really great. There were people cheering for us throughout the course and yelling ‘Go to Canada!’ I loved the course. Everyone was happy and had such positive energy.

The athlete from Il-Peru also enjoyed a sprint race in the capital. “It’s fast, it’s short. I love it and it allows us to travel a slightly different distance than we are used to.”

Legault has competed in the World Cup in Montreal in the past, but for Jeremy Briand it was his first international competition at the Old Port, including Friday’s singles match.

“For all kinds of reasons, I haven’t been able to participate in the last few years. I was glad to continue until I was there and completed his assignment. It was special! Running in front of my friends and family, 15 minutes from my house, is an opportunity I have been waiting for for so long. I am satisfied” “.

On Friday, Jeremy Bryan was suspended for a replay of the singles event. The top ten advanced to the next round and Quebec finished 11th, two seconds off 10th.

“I was sorry I didn’t make it to the final on Saturday. I almost missed it. This is the experience I depend on for the rest of my career.”

Those who finished ninth at the Huatulco World Cup in Mexico last June remain optimistic for the next few years.

“It’s a format that I’ve always been strong in, but it’s the gaps and the details that make the difference. It’s above all a matter of experience and I miss it a bit. I think this is the format that might suit me in the future.”

Jeremy Briand is competing in the World Championship Finals next weekend in Edmonton. Emy Legault will resume work in September, during the World Cup in the Czech Republic.