Six months after overcoming his fear of para-cycling on the track at the Bromont velodrome, Quebecer Tarek Dahab is participating in his first World Championships in the United Kingdom. The national team rookie is full of experience and wants to carve out a place among the world elite, on the track and on the road.
Dahab finished just off the podium on Monday in the 1 kilometer world trial in the C2 category. His time of 1:11,918 was a personal best for the distance.
Fourth in qualifying, he retained this ranking at the end of the final won by Frenchman Alexandre Leaute (1 min 9.947 s). Japanese Shota Kawamoto (0.753 seconds) and Australian Gordon Allan (1.498 seconds) received silver and bronze.
“At 50, I didn’t think I would be competitive with the youngsters who have been there for several years, but I’m 1.9 seconds behind the winner. I think with a bit of tweaking and positioning I’ll be able to get those two seconds,” Tarek Dahab told Sportcom.
The athlete from Beloeil suffered a serious cycling accident in 2017. Several injuries required major operations before he was able to walk again. A few years later, he is fighting for international medals.
“I’m proud of what I achieved today. I doubted my abilities, but you have to trust yourself. It’s ironic, cycling made me handicapped, but it was after my accident that I was able to concentrate on it full time. I am happy to be able to progress as an athlete. Right now, that’s probably the best thing that can happen to me. »
Before the start of the worlds, Tarek Dahab informed his coach Sébastien Travers that he wanted to take part in all the events in Glasgow.
This involved last Saturday’s scratch race in which he placed 13th. An event that the athletes cannot practice, for lack of manpower, and where the sensations of the peloton cannot be reproduced in training.
“I’m glad I did!” I could see what it was. I had watched a lot of scratch videos, but it seems less difficult in the video than being in the action. It was a great learning experience, ”said the former police officer.
“The stress is at its maximum, we are driving at speeds that I had never reached in Bromont, everyone is in the red! I was scared, but other cyclists have been doing this race for several years, so I figured they knew what they were doing and were going to avoid me! I raced carefully so as not to fall and risk missing my race today [Monday]. »
The Quebecer also lowered his personal mark in the individual pursuit at the opening of the worlds, covering the 3000 meters in 3 min 51 285 s. He then finished third in the 200 meter time trial trials.
Initially, Tarek Dahab was just going to have his bike inspected in Bromont when he saw the national team practicing on the track.
“I decided to go for it,” he summed up.
Six months later, he rubbed shoulders with the Italian Filippo Ganna, several times world champion in track cycling, gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and winner of six road stages in the Tour of Italy.
Another first awaits Tarek Dahab on Tuesday. He will represent Canada in the mixed team sprint event along with Mel Pemble and Kate O’Brien.
“I’ve never done that in my life!” The girls have experience and are both medalists here. Mel will open and I will finish the race behind Kate,” explained the man who will then prepare for the road races. He had a taste of this discipline this spring at the World Cup presented in Alabama and now says he is better prepared.
“Everyone on the road was also on the track, so we’re going to have a similar level of fatigue. I now have confidence that I can be faster than those people. I come with a little more experience too. »
