Tyler Mislawchuk, 2-time Canadian Olympian, collects World Cup sprint triathlon silver

Tyler Mislawchuk earned a silver medal in a World Cup sprint triathlon Sunday in Huatulco, Mexico.

The two-time Olympian from Oak Bluff, Man., finished in 53 minutes 48 seconds, one second behind winner Genis Grau of Spain in a three-man foot race for the podium.

"This feels pretty darn good. You never know when your next [podium] is or when your last one is so after a year like last year with the Achilles tear, I wasn't sure I'd ever be on one of these again," Mislawchuk told Triathlon Canada. "I am thankful.

"I wasn't even sure I'd make a start line about 12 days ago so I am really happy to be standing up here because it has been a long road."

Triathlon's sprint distance features a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and 5 km run.

Brazilian bronze medallist Miguel Hidalgo was just two seconds back of Mislawchuk, who won the Huatulco race in both 2021 and 2020.

"It was a bit of a strange race," said the 27-year-old Mislawchuk. "On the run it was kind of like a championship style track event where I pushed the first bit, but realized there was fifteen or twenty guys with us.

"Tactical until the end and I got caught off guard going into the last corner. After I tore my Achilles [tendon] last year I didn't know if I was ever going to be on one of these podiums again.

"You never know when your last podium is. I'll enjoy this one."

Mislawchuk won each of the previous two times he competed on the Huatulco race course.

"I like racing in the heat, but this is also likely the most chill race we do on the World Cup so I love it here," said Mislawchuk, who has five World Cup podiums on his resume in addition to winning the Olympic test event in Tokyo and one third-place finish on the World Triathlon Championship Series.

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