From the concussions to the broken ribs to a torn Achilles tendon, he’s battled through countless injuries throughout his career. But on Wednesday in France, it all paid off for Oak Bluff’s Tyler Mislawchuk in the Olympic men’s triathlon race.
Mislawchuk ran the race of his life to finish in ninth place. He was in medal contention for much of the race on a hot day in Paris. The 29-year-old was in 20th place after the swim portion. He maintained the same spot through the 40-kilometre bike ride and made his move during the 10-km run. He quickly moved up to 10th and was even in a medal position at one point, but he didn’t have anything left in the tank and crossed the finish line in ninth place.
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“There’s nothing left,” Mislawchuk said. “If you’ve seen the finish line, there’s nothing left for me to give.
“I’ve dedicated my life the last 15 years to try and win a medal. To be this close, it stings, but like I said, I’ve left no stone unturned.”
It’s the first time he’s broken the top 10. This was his third Olympics and it’s a big improvement on the 15th-place finishes he posted in his first two trips to the games.
“Ninth is amazing against the best guys in the world,” he said. “I was emotional, you know. As an athlete, you have doubt all the time. You have a lot of ups and downs, but this last three years has been really tough on me.
“I came back from an Achilles tear which sometimes athletes never come back from. And at times it felt like maybe I’ll never come back. So, to be standing on the start line healthy and fit was a win in itself.”
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