Canadian throwers celebrate big wins at world Para championships

Canada’s Greg Stewart, a two-time Paralympic champion, finally added the missing piece to his illustrious career by winning his first world title in the men’s shot put at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi on Friday.

The 39-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., delivered a powerful throw of 16.68 metres, securing gold and cementing his place among the sport’s most dominant competitors. It marked a breakthrough for Stewart, who had previously earned two silver medals at past world championships but never the top spot.

A long road to gold

Stewart’s journey to this achievement was anything but straightforward. After capturing Paralympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021, he announced his retirement in 2022, saying he was ready to step away from competition. But the absence of the sport he loved left a void.

“After Tokyo, I thought I was done,” Stewart admitted. “But I realized I wasn’t comfortable being disconnected from what had been such a huge part of my life. Coming back wasn’t easy, but I knew I still had something left to give.”

His return has been marked by resilience — a quality that became even more crucial this week. Severe rainstorms in New Delhi forced organizers to postpone several events, including Stewart’s competition, testing athletes’ mental preparation.

“I was kind of upset about the whole thing, because you get so psyched up. We’re training all year for last night, and then it’s ripped out from underneath us,” he said. “But one of the things that Team Canada has really focused on is resiliency. I think it showed today.”

Canadian throwers shine

Stewart’s gold was not the only highlight for Canada in field events. On the women’s side, Julia Hanes earned her first world medal in the F33 shot put final. The Ontario athlete delivered a strong performance, recording 7.51 metres to claim bronze.

“One of the things I take pride in is being calm in a storm,” Hanes said after her throw. “Even after having to adjust my chair due to protests, I managed to settle, focus, and throw big. To be just three centimetres shy of my personal best makes me really proud.”

Her medal followed Katie Pegg’s bronze in the women’s F46 shot put on Thursday, making it three podium finishes for Canada’s throwers in just two days.

More Canadian results from Friday

• Addisyn Franceschini set a new personal best of 8.66m, finishing 5th in the women’s F64 shot put.

• Charlotte Bolton placed 6th in the women’s F41 discus final with a throw of 27.47m.

• Jesse Zesseu recorded a season’s best of 5.65m in the men’s T37 long jump, finishing 11th.

• Sprinters Sheriauna Haase and Chloe Dunbar both advanced to the semifinals in the women’s T47 200m.

• Nandini Sharma placed 9th in the women’s T54 400m heats with a time of 57.94 seconds, missing the final.

• Michael Barber clocked 4:14.33 to finish 14th in the men’s T20 1500m heats.

A defining moment

For Stewart, Friday’s triumph represents not just a gold medal but also the validation of his comeback. After years of chasing a world title, he can now add “world champion” alongside his Paralympic accolades.

“This is my first one in gold. I’ve been wanting this one for a long time,” he said, smiling after his final throw.

Canada’s Para athletics team capped off a successful week in New Delhi with Stewart’s long-awaited gold and Hanes’ breakthrough bronze. With multiple medals in shot put alone, the performances underline Canada’s growing strength in field events as athletes begin turning their focus toward the next Paralympic Games.