None of the seven Canadian para-cyclists found the podium Monday night, but Keely Shaw gave it a run.
The Midale, Saskatchewan native was the closest, finishing fourth in the women’s C4 road time trial, one and a half minutes behind bronze winner Australian Meg Lemon, on the Fuji auto racing circuit.
Shaw previously won Canada’s first medal in these Paralympics, a bronze, in the women’s C4 3000-metre individual pursuit at the Velodrome.
“Have fun on bikes, leave my heart and soul on the course,” Shaw wrote on Twitter after the time trial. “Can’t say I’m not disappointed to be just off the podium … In order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Lemon and Shaw have had a notable link this Paralympics. During the 27-year-old Canadian’s first event, it was Lemon who finished fourth while Shaw took home the bronze.
“Meg (Lemon) was definitely catching up,” Shaw said last week after winning the bronze in the women’s C4 individual pursuit. “She (Meg Lemon) gave me the race of a lifetime, especially in the last 500 metres.”
Shaw, an exercise physiologist PhD candidate, finished her final event, the 24-kilometre time trial on the Fuji circuit, with a time of 42:11 during her first Paralympics.
“I have no idea what the times of my opponents are, but this is one of the most enjoyable races I’ve done in a very long time,” Shaw said to the CBC. “The course was magnificent. I had maximum fun.”
Kate O’Brien was also racing for Canada in the time trial. Unfortunately, the C4 women’s 500-metre time trial silver medallist, did not finish.