Tristen Chernove, of Cranbrook, BC, won gold in the Rio 2016 Paralympic road cycling men’s C2 time trial today. This completes a triad of medals for Chernove, who last week won silver and bronze medals in track cycling. Chernove’s silver medal performance in the men’s C2 Individual Pursuit last Friday was followed by bronze in the Men’s 1000 metre Time Trial on Saturday, Sept. 10, where his time of one minute and 14.716 seconds set a new paralympic record for the C2 category.
This is a phenomenal accomplishment for Chernove, who began track cycling only last year–a way to push himself and combat Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2009. CMT, a little-known hereditary disorder that affects the nervous system, produces muscular dystrophy symptoms and affects Chernove’s lower legs and lower arms. He has also thrown himself into working to raising money for research, treatment and eventually a cure for hereditary neuropathies through the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation
Chernove will compete in his final event of the Rio 2016 Paralympics on Friday, as he races the men’s C 1-2-3 road race.