Canadian duo claim silver and bronze as they bounce back at Para road cycling worlds

At the UCI Para‑Cycling Road World Championships in Huntsville, Alabama, Canada took two spots on the podium of the men’s C3 individual time trial. France’s Louis Hubert won gold in 36:03.41, Michael Sametz earned silver in 36:33.30, and Alexandre Hayward claimed bronze in 37:03.18.

Sametz, 30, is a seasoned para‑cyclist. He won a bronze medal in the C3 time trial at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and captured world titles in the same event in 2017 and 2018. After several seasons away because of illness and injury, he returned to elite racing in 2023, adding bronze medals at the Glasgow world championships and the Santiago Parapan American Games before his latest silver.

Hayward, 29, switched from wheelchair basketball to para‑cycling. He was the world champion in the C3 time trial at last year’s competition in Ronse, Belgium, and also took bronze in the road race for the second consecutive year. This season he stayed in form, reaching the podium at World Cup races in Gistel, Belgium, and Abruzzo, Italy, before adding a bronze at the world championships.

After the race, Sametz said in a press release, “I felt very fast on the first lap… I almost fell off halfway through, but I hung on and kept my head tucked to hold the speed as much as possible. It seemed to work… I’m very happy with the result after the last couple of years.” Hayward added, “I’m really happy with third place. Standing on the podium with another Canadian is incredibly special, and I’m proud of it.”

The double medal haul highlights Canada’s depth in para‑cycling and shows how athletes can rebound from setbacks to remain competitive on the world stage. Their performances also boost the nation’s profile ahead of future championships.

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