July 5, 2004
CSN

Petitclerc qualifies for third Olympic wheelchair races

Chantal Petitclerc of Montreal of Toronto qualified for her third participation in the Olympic Games wheelchair racing demonstration races, and Diane Roy of Hatley, Que. will also be in Athens next month following Friday's trials.

In the women's 800-metre semifinal, Petitclerc lowered her Canadian record clocking 1:50.20 for second spot in her heat to easily earn her Olympic ticket. Louise Savage of Australia won the heat in 1:50.06.

"It's a big thrill to go to the Olympics again," said Petitclerc, sixth in both the 1996 and 2000 demonstration races. "It was nice to have a race that wasn't too stressful."

In the other semifinal heat, Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland, who broke Petitclerc's world record in Thursday's quarterfinal, placed first in 1:50.88 ahead of Roy second in 1:51.83 to qualify for her first Olympics.

Kelly Smith of Vancouver was sixth in the same heat and did not qualify for the Olympic final.

Courtesy of Canadian Sport News