Maggie Mac Neil swam the butterfly portion of the women’s 4×100-metre medley relay on Wednesday and helped Canada to victory for its 23rd medal in the pool at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.
It was the fifth win of these Games for Mac Neil, who passed fellow swimmer Jessica Deglau (1999) and two others for most gold medals by a Canadian at a single Pan Am Games.
The 23-year-old from London, Ont., has also won gold in women’s 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle along with relays in the 50 free and 100 free.
Table tennis player Lijuan Geng (1995) and gymnast Ernestine Russell-Carter (1959) also won four gold at a single Pan Am Games.
WATCH | Mac Neil puts forth strong butterfly leg in 100m medley relay win:
GOLD MEDAL: Mac Neil sets Canadian Pan Am gold medals record with medley relay victory
12 hours ago
Duration 6:00
Featured VideoCanada captures gold in the women’s 4×100 medley relay at the Pan American Games. Maggie Mac Neil of London, Ont., sets a record for most gold medals by a Canadian at a single Pan Am Games with five.
Mac Neil was also a member of the mixed relay teams that picked up silver and bronze. She and Mary-Sophie Harvey each earned seven medals in Santiago, which is the most by a Canadian woman at a Pan Am Games.
Marianne Limpert and Joanne Malar (1995), Ralph Hutton (1967) and Deglau won six.
In Wednesday’s race, Danielle Hanus and Rachel Nicol put Canada in silver-medal position at the Aquatics Center following the backstroke and breaststroke. Enter Mac Neil, the reigning Olympic champion in the butterfly, with her team trailing the United States by 25-100ths of a second.
One hundred metres later, the Canadians had clocked a time of three minutes 4.94 seconds and led by 54-100ths as Harvey took over in the freestyle. With 50 metres left, Catie DeLoof cut into the deficit and Canada only led by 11-100ths, but Harvey held her off.
Mexico was awarded the bronze medal after a 4:04.73 performance, just 6-100ths ahead of Colombia.
Canadian swimmers amassed 25 medals in total in Santiago with 11 gold, the most at a Pan Ams held outside Canada.
WATCH | Mac Neil, Harvey, Nicol, and Hanus reflect on 100m medley relay win:
Canadian women’s 4x100m medley relay team reflect on victory
8 hours ago
Duration 1:31
Featured VideoCanada’s Maggie Mac Neil, Rachel Nicol, Danielle Hanus and Mary-Sophie Harvey discuss their gold medal performance in the women’s 4×100-metre medley relay final at the Pan American Games.
Mac Neil didn’t taper to peak for the Pan Ams. She raced in a World Cup in Athens, less than a week out from Santiago’s opening ceremonies.
But she started strong on opening night when Mac Neil swam Canada’s third leg of the 4×100 freestyle relay.
The reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 100 butterfly then claimed gold in that distance Sunday in Pan Am Games record time.
Her hopes and expectations met in her signature event, Mac Neil then went to work in individual freestyle races, which are important to her because of relays.
“Once the 100 fly was over, I really wanted that title and that was the only thing I was really thinking going into the meet,” Mac Neil said. “Because it was my first time swimming freestyle internationally, I felt relaxed anyway. I had nothing really to lose.
“It was a lot of racing for me, but it’s always good practice, especially this early on in the season.”
Mac Neil was among the Canadian women who won an Olympic silver medal in the 4×100 freestyle relay as well as a medley bronze in Tokyo two years ago.
She wants to maintain her freestyle strength for the 2024 Summer Games relays.
“I want to be able to step up for them and hopefully we get another medal in Paris,” Mac Neil said.
Her Olympic debut in Tokyo felt sterile and locked down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mac Neil wanted to compete in Santiago as a dress rehearsal for a more hectic environment in Paris.
“The first thing is that it’s a Games environment and we didn’t really get much of that in Tokyo,” she said.
“So just practising kind of the uncontrollables, whether that’s food, a lot of walking, transportation mishaps, it’s all kind of part of the process and getting ready for what’s coming in Paris.”
Pickrem posts Games record
Earlier, Canada’s Sydney Pickrem made it two gold medals and one Pan Am Games record in Chile, cruising to victory in 2:09.04 in the women’s 200 individual medley.
Pickrem, 26, took down the Games record of 2:10.51 by Caitlin Leverenz of the United States from 2015 in Toronto.
GOLD AND SILVER MEDALS: Canada’s Sydney Pickrem claims gold, Mary-Sophie Harvey takes silver at Pan Am Games
13 hours ago
Duration 4:54
Featured VideoCanadians Sydney Pickrem captures gold with a personal best time of 2.09:04, and teammate Mary-Sophie Harvey claims silver in the 200 metre individual medley at the Pan Am Games.
It is also 63-100ths faster than the Halifax native’s winning time in the event at the recent World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Athens. In May, she was also victorious in the 200 IM in 2:08.89 at the London International Meet.
Making her second Pan Am Games appearance, Pickrem also captured gold on Monday in a 1-2 Canadian finish with Kelsey Wog.
The 2019 world bronze medallist, Pickrem boasts a 2:08.61 season best from the Canadian trials in March. It was a national record until 16-year-old Summer McIntosh topped it with a 2:08.08 effort earlier this year at a Pro Swim Series event in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Harvey of Trois-Rivieres, Que., finished behind Pickrem on Wednesday for silver in 2:11.92, while Helen Noble (2:14.19) of the United States took bronze.
WATCH | Pan Am Games Wednesday morning highlights from Santiago, Chile:
Santiago 2023 Pan American Games: Day 6 early highlights
15 hours ago
Duration 25:56
Featured VideoWatch some early action highlights from day six of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
For the 24-year-old Harvey, the 200 IM silver represented her third podium finish of these Games. She was part of the winning relay team in the women’s 100 free on Saturday and prevailed the following day in the 200 free.
Harvey reached the medal podium in four of five events in her 2019 Pan Am Games debut in Lima, where she was spiraling into darkness.
Battling an eating disorder, mental health concerns and a lingering shoulder injury, Harvey had just missed making the senior team heading to the world championships and questioned her future in the sport. She was prepared to quit.
“I started to skip meals. I would barely have one meal a day,” Harvey told CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux recently. “I made the Pan Am team. I thought I’d be happy about that but afterwards I still felt empty.”
A month before those Lima Games, Harvey says she attempted suicide. She called her mom and went to the hospital to recover.
“I stayed at her place for a month and then went to Pan Ams,” Harvey said.
In the men’s 200 IM, Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., overtook the field and claimed the first gold medal by Canadian men in the pool at these Games.
The 2021 Olympian touched the wall in 1:58.74, 1.15 seconds ahead of Arsenio Bustos of the U.S., while bronze went to Brazil’s Leonardo Coelho (2:00.58). Collyn Gagne of Milton, Ont., was fourth (2:00.79).
WATCH | Knox wins men’s 200m individual medley in 1:58.74:
GOLD MEDAL: Alberta’s Finlay Knox swims to Pan Am 200m individual medley victory
13 hours ago
Duration 4:05
Featured VideoFinlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., won the Pan Am Games men’s 200-metre individual medley in a time of 1:58.74. Fellow countryman Collyn Gagne of Milton, Ont., finished in fourth place.
Canada wins 4 badminton gold medals
The final day of badminton competition in Santiago saw Canada take home gold in four of the five events.
Catherine Choi of Markham, Ont., and Edmonton’s Josephine Wu got things started on Wednesday with gold in women’s doubles, beating American twins Annie and Kerry Xu 2-1 (21-18, 10-21, 21-17).
The top-seeded Canadian duo reached the final without dropping a game.
WATCH l Choi, Wu win women’s doubles gold:
GOLD MEDAL: Canada defeats United States in badminton doubles, claiming top spot at Pan Am Games
20 hours ago
Duration 2:07
Featured VideoCanada’s Catherine Choi and Josephine Wu defeated the American pair of Annie and Kerry Xu 21-18, 10-21, 21-17 to take badminton doubles gold at the Pan Am Games.
Wu later returned to the court to help Canada win the mixed doubles gold-medal match, teaming up with Ty Lindeman of St. Alberta, Alta., to top Vinson Chiu and Jennie Gai of the U.S. 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 21-19).
WATCH l Wu, Lindeman prevail in mixed doubles final:
GOLD MEDAL: Canada captures 4th badminton Pan Am gold with mixed doubles win
11 hours ago
Duration 2:36
Featured VideoCanada’s Ty Lindeman and Josephine Wu defeat Jennie Gai and Vinson Chiu of the United States 17-21, 21-17, 21-19 in the badminton mixed doubles gold medal match at the Pan An American Games. Wu collected her second gold after her victory with Catherine Choi in women’s doubles to start the day and the Canadian team would rack up four gold medals and add a bronze by the end of the session.
Canada also topped the men’s doubles podium.
Adam Dong of Burlington, Ont., and Nyl Yakura of Pickering, Ont., captured gold by beating Brazil’s Fabrício Farias and Davi Silva 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 21-18).
WATCH l Yakura, Dong edge Brazil for gold in men’s doubles:
GOLD MEDAL: Canada defeats Brazil claiming both gold medals in women’s and men’s doubles badminton
19 hours ago
Duration 2:13
Featured VideoCanada’s Nyl Yakura and Xingyu Dong take gold for the red and white after defeating Brazil’s Davi Carvalho and Fabricio Rocha 19-21, 21-15, 21-18 in doubles badminton.
No. 1 seed Brian Yang won gold in men’s singles with a sweep of Kevin Cordón of Guatemala, who is part of the independent athletes team.
The 21-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., was perfect throughout the tournament, winning eight straight games after receiving a bye into the second round — upgrading his silver medal from the 2019 edition.
Top Canadian player Michelle Li, a four-time Pan Am games gold medallist, was forced to miss these Games due to an injury.
Canada leads the all-time Pan Am Games medal table in badminton with 60, including 25 gold.
WATCH l Yang tops men’s badminton podium:
GOLD MEDAL: Yang captures more badminton gold for Canada at Pan Am Games
15 hours ago
Duration 1:37
Featured VideoRichmond Hill’s Brian Yang claimed Pan Am Games badminton singles gold Wednesday, defeating Independent Athletes Team member Kevin Cordon in straight sets 21-18, 21-6.
In track cycling, the Canadian quartet of Devaney Collier, Fiona Majendie, Kiara Lylyk and Ruby West won gold in women’s team pursuit with a victory over Mexico’s Lizbeth Salazar, María Gaxiola, Victoria Velasco and Yareli Acevedo in Wednesday’s final.
The Canadians clocked a time of 4:23.000 at the Velodromo Parque Penalolen.
“We used a young alternate who shows a lot of promise today and we managed to get it done with a really fast time, too,” said Canada coach Phil Abbott of Lylyk, who was a late substitute after Ngaire Barraclough withdrew due to illness.
WATCH | Day 6 late highlights:
Santiago 2023 Pan American Games: Day 6 late highlights
6 hours ago
Duration 26:03
Featured VideoWatch some of the best performances of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
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.”
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.
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.
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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