Canadian paddlers earn trio of sprint gold medals in canoe/kayak at Pan Am Games | Canada News Media
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Canadian paddlers earn trio of sprint gold medals in canoe/kayak at Pan Am Games

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Canada boosted its gold-medal count quickly on Friday at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

Kayaker Michelle Russell won the women’s K1 500 metres to start things off, and was succeeded in short order by Ian Gaudet and Simon McTavish, who grabbed men’s K2 500 gold, and Alix Plomteux and Craig Spence, who followed suit in the men’s C2 500.

Canada now sits at 40 gold medals — already five more than it won at the 2019 Pan Ams in Lima.

Russell, of Fall River, N.S., stopped the clock in one minute 51.25 seconds at the San Pedro de la Paz lagoon for her fourth career Pan Am medal.

The 31-year-old was part of the four-person women’s kayak team that won Canada’s first gold medal at the 2015 Games in Toronto before adding silvers in singles and doubles competition.

 

GOLD MEDAL: Michelle Russell strikes gold for Canada in K1 500 metre race at Pan Am Games

 

Featured VideoMichelle Russell of Fall River, Nova Scotia captures Pan Am Games kayak gold in the K-1 500 metre race Friday with the winning time of 1.51:25.

Meanwhile, McTavish’s gold marked his first-ever medal in Canadian colours after switching allegiances from Australia in 2019.

The 27-year-old teamed with Gaudet, a 20-year-old making his senior-level debut at a major competition, to cross the finish line in 1:30.45.

 

GOLD MEDAL: Ian Gaudet and Simon McTavish capture more kayak gold for Canada

 

Featured VideoIan Gaudet of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and Simon McTavish of Oakville, Ontario gave Canada its second gold medal in the sport of kayaking Friday in the K2 500 metre final at the Pan Am Games with a winning time of 1.30:45.

In canoe, Plomteux, the 23-year-old from Lac-Beauport, Que., and Spence, a 28-year-old from Dartmouth, N.S., climbed the top of the podium with a time of 1:42.12.

Canada rounded out its medals at the lagoon when the women’s K4 500 squad secured a silver medal while Sophia Jensen added to the Canadian medal haul with bronze in the women’s C200.

 

GOLD MEDAL: Alix Plomteux and Craig Spence claim 3rd gold of the day for Canada

 

Featured VideoAlix Plomteux of Lac-Beauport, Quebec and Craig Spence of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia claimed gold in the C2 500 metre final canoe race Friday at the Pan Am Games with a winning time of 1.42:12.

Meanwhile, Canada’s women’s water polo team is one win away from a berth to the Olympics.

The Canadians routed Brazil 21-4 in their semifinal, led by Montreal’s Elyse Lemay-Lavoie, who netted five goals.

Canada will face face the U.S., which beat Argentina 27-1 in the other semifinal, on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET with a ticket to Paris and a Pan Am gold medal on the line.

Canada’s men’s team takes on Brazil in its semifinal later Friday. An Olympic spot will also be handed to the winner of that tournament.

If the water polo teams make it through to Paris, they could see Canadian sailors Justin Barnes and Will Jones, whose bronze medal in the men’s 49er discipline on Friday was enough to clinch an Olympic berth as the top North American/Caribbean boat not already qualified.

 

QUALIFIED: Canadian sailors Barnes and Jones lock down Olympic spot in Paris

 

Featured VideoWill Jones from Jerseyville, Ont., and Justin Barnes of Pickering, Ont., sailed to a Pan American bronze medal Friday in the men’s 49er FX, securing Canada a spot at the Olympics in Paris next summer.

Fellow Canadian sailors Ali ten Hove and Mariah Millen also qualified for the Olympics with their silver medal in the women’s 49er.

The Canadian men’s field hockey team beat the United States 3-2 in the bronze-medal match to earn a spot at a last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament.

Canada added another bronze medal in artistic swimming’s mixed team event.

Live coverage of the Pan Am Games continues on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

 

QUALIFIED: Canadians ten Hove and Millen sail to silver and a spot in the Paris Olympics

 

Featured VideoAli ten Hove of Kingston, Ont., and Toronto’s Mariah Millen sailed to a Pan American silver medal Friday in the women’s 49er FX, securing Canada a spot at the Olympics in Paris next summer.

 

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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