Canadian triathlete secures fourth career World Cup victory with commanding performance
HUATULCO, Mexico — Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk added another milestone to his decorated international career on Sunday, capturing gold at the World Triathlon Cup in Huatulco and reaffirming his dominance at one of the sport’s most familiar race stops.
The 31-year-old from Oak Bluff, Manitoba crossed the finish line in 53 minutes 21 seconds to earn the fourth World Triathlon Cup victory of his career and his ninth podium appearance at the World Cup level. The result marked his fifth podium finish in Huatulco, where he has now won three times after earlier victories in 2019 and 2021, along with silver-medal finishes in 2022 and 2023.
“It was another hot, fun day in Mexico. I’m pretty stoked with the win. Anytime you can win a race at this level you have to be pretty happy,” said Mislawchuk following his ninth career World Cup podium. “It was my fifth time back and the fifth time was a charm. It feels just as good as the first win here.”
The three-time Olympian entered the race as one of the favourites and delivered a composed performance across all three disciplines. He opened with a strong 750-metre swim, exiting the water in third place before positioning himself at the front of a large cycling pack during the 20-kilometre bike segment.
Veteran Canadian relies on experience in decisive final run
Racing in the early morning heat alongside roughly 60 elite competitors, Mislawchuk controlled much of the race tempo. A pack of nearly 50 riders formed during the four-lap bike course, which featured relatively flat terrain suited to aggressive pacing and tactical positioning.
Several Canadians remained in contention during the cycling stage, including Mathis Beaulieu of Quebec City, Leandre Binette of Saint-Christophe d’Arthabaska, Quebec, and Liam Donnelly of Campbellville, Ontario.
Mislawchuk entered the second transition in third position before accelerating onto the five-kilometre run course. He maintained the lead for much of the final segment until American triathlete Sullivan Middaugh briefly overtook him midway through the final lap.
“When Sully caught me, I thought I would try to relax, get some water in, refocus and do one last surge,” said Mislawchuk. “I figured I’d go as hard as I could, I didn’t want to leave it to chance with a sprint finish today because you never know what would happen.”
The Canadian quickly responded, regaining the lead and creating enough separation to finish nine seconds ahead of Middaugh, who claimed silver in 53:29. Brazil’s Vinicius Avi Santana secured bronze with a time of 53:36.
“It was an epic battle out there – super fun,” he said. “I’m definitely not the youngest guy anymore, but maybe the experience paid off having been at the course a few times before.”
Strong showing for Canadian team as season momentum builds
The victory gives Mislawchuk his second podium finish of the 2026 season after earning bronze earlier this year at a World Triathlon Cup event in Chengdu, China.
The result also strengthens Canada’s presence on the international triathlon circuit ahead of a busy summer competition calendar. Mislawchuk remains one of the country’s most accomplished triathletes, having also won the Olympic Test Event ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Canada’s men produced several additional strong finishes in Huatulco. Beaulieu placed sixth with a time of 53:44, continuing his solid record at the Mexican venue after winning silver there two years ago. Donnelly finished eighth in 53:56, while Binette crossed in 24th place at 54:54.
On the women’s side, Sidney Clement of West Vancouver led the Canadian contingent with a 19th-place finish in 1:01:12. Montreal’s Isla Britton finished 29th in 1:02:24, while Emy Legault of L’Île Perrot, Quebec did not complete the race.
Mexico’s Ana Maria Valentina Torres Gomez captured the women’s sprint title in 1:00:07.
Triathlon Canada continues focus on elite international performance
Triathlon Canada, the national governing body for the sport, oversees more than 22,000 members across grassroots and elite competition levels. The organization supports Olympic, Paralympic and world championship development programs with assistance from corporate sponsors and national sport funding partners.
Mislawchuk’s latest victory adds to Canada’s growing momentum in international triathlon competition and highlights the continued competitiveness of experienced athletes on the global stage.