Paralympic triathlon in Paris was a mix of joy and pain for Canadians when races finally did get underway.

Winnipeg含羞草研究社檚 Leanne Taylor became the first Canadian woman to win a Paralympic triathlon medal with a bronze in the women含羞草研究社檚 class Monday.

Calgary含羞草研究社檚 Stefan Daniel was leading his men含羞草研究社檚 race when he crashed his bike into a barricade and was knocked out of contention.

The veteran won silver when para triathlon made its Paralympic debut in Rio in 2016, and was a bronze medallist three years ago in Tokyo.

The five-time world champion, who was born with club hands, is ranked world No.1 in his PTS5 classification.

After a schedule shuffle and then delays because of the Seine River含羞草研究社檚 water quality, races in 11 different classes got underway 含羞草研究社� with multiple classes on course simultaneously 含羞草研究社� at the ornate Pont Alexandre bridge.

Para triathlon is a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and 5k run.

Taylor pumps a handcycle during the bike leg. Her run is a wheelchair race.

The 32-year-old stepped onto the podium six years after she was paralyzed from the waist down in a mountain biking accident.

含羞草研究社淐oming to the Games was always the goal I set for myself in the hospital when I was injured six years ago,含羞草研究社� Taylor said.

含羞草研究社淏eing here felt like the big deal, what we were aiming for. In the last year, it started to look like it was possible for me to be on the podium.含羞草研究社�

With eventual winner Lauren Parker of Australia and silver medallist Kendall Gretsch of the United States well out front, Taylor girded herself to hunt down Brazil含羞草研究社檚 Jessica Ferreira for a medal after the transition to the wheelchair race.

But Ferreira含羞草研究社檚 crash after the transition to the wheelchair race put Taylor in medal position.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 an absolute heartbreak to see that the Brazilian crashed,含羞草研究社� Taylor said.

含羞草研究社淭he sad thing is that含羞草研究社檚 triathlon. She and I have both given medals in some ways to each other by making a mistake or having a crash. This has sort of happened back and forth.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 one of the things about triathlon and why you have to keep fighting on even if you含羞草研究社檙e not in the place you expect to be. You never know what含羞草研究社檚 going to happen. It worked in my favour this time and maybe not next.含羞草研究社�

Fortune did not favour Daniel.

Fifth after his Seine swim, Daniel had charged to the front with just over 5k remaining on the bike when he misjudged a hairpin turn and flew into the barricades.

The 27-year-old continued to race once he knew his bike was still operational, but his bid for another Paralympic medal was over.

Daniel含羞草研究社檚 face crumpled as he near the finished line.

含羞草研究社淵ou don含羞草研究社檛 get to go to too many Paralympics in a lifetime,含羞草研究社� the Canadian said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e always held the strong belief if you含羞草研究社檙e physically able to finish a race, you do it. No matter what.含羞草研究社�

He was composed after he was treated for scrapes in the medical tent.

含羞草研究社淩ight before the last lap, I went too fast into a U-turn and just went into the barricades,含羞草研究社� Daniel said. 含羞草研究社淚 just miscalculated it. Lapse of judgment. I was down before I knew it.

含羞草研究社淚t hasn含羞草研究社檛 really hit me. A little disbelief, shock. It would have been worse if I didn含羞草研究社檛 finish. I含羞草研究社檓 glad that I finished and I got across the line. I含羞草研究社檒l take some comfort in that in a little bit here.

含羞草研究社淩ight now, yeah, I含羞草研究社檓 gutted.含羞草研究社�

His teammate Kamylle Frenette of Dieppe, N.B., was fourth among PTS5 women.

含羞草研究社淚 was hoping for the podium, but fourth place in the world is really good,含羞草研究社� Frenette said.

含羞草研究社淪itting on the pontoon, I was overlooking the Eiffel Tower. It含羞草研究社檚 such a beautiful venue, so really thankful for that.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 always a bit nervous on the bike and I unfortunately saw my teammate crash, so that was a bit emotional to see that.

含羞草研究社淭he run, I was pretty solidly in fourth at that point so I just let myself enjoy and look around.含羞草研究社�

Seine含羞草研究社檚 water quality headaches that plagued Olympic triathlon continued into the Paralympics.

Taylor含羞草研究社檚 race initially schedule for Monday was shifted to Sunday and then back again.

Daniel and Frenette saw their start times shuffled Sunday and ultimately their triathlons delayed a day.

Athletes awoke wondering if they would race, or if their triathlons would be reduced to a duathlon of a bike and a run.

含羞草研究社淚t would be a lie if I said it wasn含羞草研究社檛 a challenge,含羞草研究社� Taylor said. 含羞草研究社淜nowing it could be anything and trying to be prepared for everything was honestly very difficult.

含羞草研究社淥nce we got into the water, it was doing the thing we knew how to do and at that point, I was OK.含羞草研究社�

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Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press