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Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk earned the silver medal at the World Triathlon Cup in Saidia, Morocco, on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Mislawchuck finished in one hour 45 minutes 58 seconds in the Olympic distance test for his first World Cup podium in three years.
Great Britain’s Oliver Conway won in 1:45:53 and John Reed of the United States finished third at 1:46:11.
It was the seventh World Cup podium of the Oak Bluff, Man., resident’s storied career.
A three-time Olympian, Mislawchuck came out of the unique 1.5-kilometre swim in sixth spot — just eight seconds back of the frontrunner.
After a best-ever ninth place finish at the 2024 Olympics where he was battling for the podium until the final two kilometres.
Mislawchuck opened this season with a sixth-place finish at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Yokohama, Japan.
On Sunday, Mislawchuck appeared composed and comfortable while settling in for the eight-lap pedal with 24 riders through Morocco’s northeastern coastal town known as the Blue Pearl.
Thriving in the heat, the lone Canadian in the field followed his game plan, steadily working his way through the pack in the first of five laps on the 10-kilometre run. One of seven athletes out front at the end of the second lap, Mislawchuk made his move and pulled away from the field with Reed and Conway, who was making his first World Cup start, going with him.
The trio matched strides over the next lap with the veteran Mislawchuk and rookie Conway controlling the pace.
As the intensity and pace picked up in the final loop, Reed dropped back, leaving a head-to-head battle between the Canadian and the Brit until the last 100-metres where the 20-year-old Conway snuck ahead in the last corner and into the finishing stretch.