Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk has returned to the World Triathlon Championship Series podium after a seven-year absence, capturing bronze on Saturday in Weihai, China, as the three-time Olympian continues a strong run of international results.
The 32-year-old from Oak Bluff, Man., completed the Olympic-distance event — a 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-kilometre bike and 10-kilometre run — in 1:41:25. The performance marked the second World Triathlon Championship Series podium of his career and his first since taking third place in Montreal in 2019.
Mislawchuk Returns to WTCS Podium After Seven Years
Mislawchuk’s latest result comes as the Canadian veteran works through his fourth Olympic campaign and builds on a series of strong World Cup performances.
“I am pretty stoked. I’ve had a good season with results at World Cups, but this is my first World Triathlon Championship Series podium in seven years,” beamed Mislawchuk. “This is my fourth Olympic campaign. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in at 32 years young, but that’s just a number.
“It’s been a long road, and it means a lot to me. I want to thank everyone in my corner throughout all of it. It’s just a matter of showing up on the good days and the bad.”
Saturday’s competition tested athletes across challenging conditions, beginning with a choppy two-lap swim. Mislawchuk emerged from the water in 17th position before moving into a 28-athlete lead group during the cycling portion.
Canadian Makes His Move on the Run
The eight-lap bike course was slick, requiring competitors to take a cautious approach before transitioning to the decisive 10-kilometre run.
Once on foot, Mislawchuk moved toward the front of a five-man group that quickly established a 15-second advantage over the rest of the field during the opening lap.
He remained in podium contention through the closing kilometres, with the leading athletes exchanging positions before the final push toward the blue carpet. Mislawchuk ultimately secured third place, finishing 17 seconds behind race winner Max Struder.
“It been seven years with a lot of close calls, but there is nothing like being on the WTCS podium while going up against the best guys in the world,” added Mislawchuk. “I saw an opportunity today, and three kilometres into the run I went for it. The whole last five kilometres, I kept saying this is what you train for every day. It feels good to do it at the top level.”
Switzerland’s Struder won the men’s event in 1:41:08, while Spain’s David Cantero Del Campo claimed silver in 1:41:18.
Strong Season Continues for Canadian Triathlon Veteran
The bronze adds another significant result to Mislawchuk’s recent international record.
Last month, he earned the 10th World Triathlon Cup podium of his career with a silver medal in Edmonton. He also captured his fourth World Triathlon Cup victory in June.
Mislawchuk finished ninth at both the 2024 Olympic Games and the 2025 World Championships, establishing himself as one of Canada’s most consistent athletes on the international triathlon circuit.
His podium in China also follows a breakthrough performance earlier this season from Canadian Olympic teammate Charles Paquet, who secured his first World Triathlon Championship Series podium with bronze in Samarkand after recording several top-five finishes.
Liam Donnelly was the only other Canadian competing in Saturday’s men’s field but did not finish the race.
Desirae Ridenour Matches Career-Best Eighth Place
Canada also posted a top-10 result in the women’s competition, with Desirae Ridenour matching her career-best eighth-place finish in Weihai for the second consecutive season.
The 26-year-old Cowichan Bay, B.C., athlete completed the three disciplines in 1:50:58.
Ridenour became the first Canadian woman in more than a decade to win a World Triathlon Cup in 2025 and has continued to deliver competitive international performances over the past two seasons.
Beaugrand Leads Women’s Podium
France’s Cassandre Beaugrand won the women’s race in 1:49:20. Great Britain’s Beth Potter finished six seconds behind in 1:49:26 to claim silver, while Germany’s Lisa Tertsch secured bronze in 1:49:44.
Canadian Emy Legault of L’Île-Perrot, Que., finished 30th with a time of 1:55:54.
For Mislawchuk, Saturday’s bronze represents another milestone in a career spanning three Olympic Games and numerous World Triathlon events. Seven years after his previous Championship Series podium, his performance in China puts the Canadian back among the medal winners at the highest level of the international series.