Triathlon Canada has appointed accomplished athlete, coach and engineer Sasha Beck as president of its Board of Directors, placing her at the helm as the national organisation prepares to send a major Canadian contingent to the 2026 World Triathlon Grand Final in Pontevedra, Spain.
The championship, scheduled for September 23-27, will feature 18 Canadian elite athletes alongside more than 500 Age Group competitors, with Canada represented across elite, Para, U23, junior, mixed relay and Age Group events.
Beck Takes Leadership Role on Road to LA 2028
Beck joined Triathlon Canada’s Board of Directors in 2023 as an athlete director, bringing competitors’ perspectives into the organisation’s governance and strategic planning. Her appointment as president comes as Triathlon Canada looks towards the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic cycle.
“I am honoured to take on the role of president of Triathlon Canada and to continue giving back to the sport that has given me so much,” said Beck. “I have experienced triathlon from many perspectives – as an athlete, guide, coach, volunteer, and Board member – and I understand the opportunities and challenges that exist across our sport. I’m excited to work collaboratively with our international and national sport partners, along with provincial sport organizations, Board, and staff to support the athletes and coaches as we build the future of triathlon in Canada.”
Beck competed at club, provincial, national and international level through Triathlon Ontario and Triathlon Canada. She later graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering and competed on its varsity swimming team.
Her involvement in Para triathlon began in 2014 when she became a guide. Beck subsequently guided Christine Robbins at the sport’s Paralympic debut at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Since retiring from competition, she has coached and mentored youth and adult athletes in Ontario and is a co-founder and development coach with Paratriathlon Ontario.
Professionally, Beck worked for Enbridge Gas leading an Operational Change Management team, supporting large-scale initiatives across North America.
Canada Names 18 Athletes for Pontevedra
Triathlon Canada has selected 18 athletes — 12 women and six men — across its elite race categories for the season-ending World Triathlon Championship Series event.
Two-time Paralympic medallist and six-time world champion Stefan Daniel of Calgary will seek another Grand Final podium after winning his sixth World Triathlon Para Championship title in Spain two years ago.
Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Leanne Taylor of Oak Bluff, Manitoba, will return to the Grand Final after taking last year away from competition to have a baby.
Olympian Charles Paquet of Port-Cartier, Quebec, arrives following a breakthrough season in which he became the second Canadian man to reach a World Triathlon Championship Series podium, taking bronze in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Martin Sobey of Charlottetown will also contest the men’s elite race after matching his career-best seventh-place World Triathlon Championship Series finish.
“These five athletes are fiercely determined to continue this program’s tradition of excellence at the Grand Final. They are focused on performance every time they hit the start line,” said Dan Proulx, high-performance director, Triathlon Canada. “With our top athletes continuing to lead the way, we are also looking to see many of our development athletes gain valuable experience at this event.”
Experienced competitors Tyler Mislawchuk, Mathis Beaulieu, Desirae Ridenour and Sophia Howell had earned Grand Final places but will not compete because of injuries sustained during races this summer. Triathlon Canada said they are working with their medical teams and could potentially return to racing later in the season.
U23 and Junior Athletes Gain International Opportunity
Seven Canadians have been selected for U23 competition. The women’s group consists of Maira Carreau, Beatrice Filion, Isla Britton, Sidney Clement and Alexandra Campbell, while Blake Harris and Lukas Vadeika will compete in the men’s category.
“The depth of our U23 program, particularly on the women’s side, has greatly improved,” said Proulx. “This is a promising group of athletes who are aiming for success at the highest level. We’re working to ensure they have the tools and experience they need to succeed well beyond 2028.”
Five junior athletes will also compete: Sarah-Maude Levesque, Maelly Lamontagne, Brooke Rousselle and Jeanne Gadbois in the women’s competition, and Robi Racine in the men’s event.
Mixed Relay Teams Confirmed
Canada’s U23 Mixed Relay team will feature Robi Racine, Nico Stockwell, Sidney Clement and Alexandra Campbell.
The Para Mixed Relay squad consists of Stefan Daniel, Leanne Taylor, Margot Wehrle and Elani Bykowski, who will compete as a guide.
Beyond the elite and development programmes, more than 500 Canadian athletes are expected to participate in Age Group competitions during the international triathlon festival in Pontevedra, giving Beck a sizeable Canadian delegation to oversee at the start of her tenure as president.