March 24, 2006 – Two of Canada’s top cyclists won Gold and Bronze today while battling the heat and kangaroos at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. Shimano-sponsored cyclists Marie-Helene Premont of Quebec City captured the Gold Medal while Kiara Bisaro of Courtenay, BC won bronze.

Marie-Helene Premont was one of two Canadians achieving gold today, surviving a searing 30 C heat and deftly avoiding a kangaroo that hopped on the course to win the women’s mountain bike race.

Premont dominated the 11-women field in the 40-kilometre race at the scenic State Mountain Bike Park of Victoria, but was shaken up after avoiding a collision with a kangaroo. She won in a time of one hour 55 minutes four seconds, 1:27 up on New Zealand’s Rosara Joseph. Bisaro, was 2:55 off the pace to take the bronze.

“I was surprised to see a kangaroo run in front of me, I was smiling, (but) after that I was a little bit insecure, but it’s OK,” said Premont, who managed to keep a sense of humour about it. “I hope (someone) got a good picture of it.”

Canada also won two silvers and six bronzes and now has 63 medals overall (16 gold, 24 silver, 23 bronze), good for third in the standings behind Australia’s 171 medals (65-55-51) and England’s 81 (24-32-25).