Dunkerley impresses at Para Pan Am Games
 Parapanamerican Games Canadian Press
8/19/2007 3:52:41 PM
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (CP) - Jason Dunkerley of Ottawa and his guide Greg Dailey of Toronto shattered a pair of records Sunday in the men's 800-metre run for visually impaired in track and field action at the Para Pan American Games for athletes with a disability.
Dunkerley took the gold in two minutes 0.39 seconds, breaking the Canadian and Para Pan Am record to cap the best season of his career. He also broke the Canadian and Pan Am record for gold in the 1,500 earlier this week.
"It went very well," said Dunkerley, the reigning world champion in the 800 and 1,500. "We got the lead early and tried to be aggressive. We were a bit tired at the end but still beat our record by over a second.
"We feel we've put everything in place for an even bigger breakthrough next year at the Paralympic Games."
In the women's long jump for one-leg amputees, Stephanie Reid of Kingston, Ont., won the silver medal with a leap of 4.70 metres. The final combined a pair of disability categories and Reid was tops in her group with a Canadian and Pan Am record.
"It was good to end the meet with a record," said Reid, also a bronze medallist in the 200 earlier this week. "I started the season jumping 4.20 metres and it's just been getting better and better since then.
"What has improved the most is my technique off the start. I always had the speed but now I'm able to transfer that speed to the take-off."
In another men's 800 race for visually impaired, Stuart McGregor of Ottawa was fourth.
The Canadian track and field team concludes a successful Games with nine gold, four silver and three bronze.
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