The majority of action during the Tokyo Olympics happens when most Canadians are fast asleep. While you were cozy in your bed, however, members of Team Canada were making their push for the podium.
Here’s what you missed from Day 15 of the Summer Games:
Canadians Laurence Vincent-Lapointe and Katie Vincent won bronze in the women’s C2 500m canoe sprint, which put Canada’s medal count at 23 for these Games, the most it’s ever been for a non-boycotted Summer Olympics.
The previous record of 22 was set at Atlanta 1996 and Rio 2016.
The all-time record for Canada at the Summer Olympics is 44, which came at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Those Games, however, were boycotted by the then Soviet Union and 13 other nations in response to a U.S.-orchestrated boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
China’s Xu Shixiao and Sun Mengya finished first with a time of 1:55.495 and Ukraine’s Liudmyla Luzan and Anastasiia Chetverikova secured second with a time of 1:57.499 in the first-ever women’s C2 500m canoe sprint event at the Olympics.
Women’s marathon: Elmore places top-10 in long-awaited Olympic return
At 41 years old and 17 years after her last Olympic appearance, Malindi Elmore finished ninth with a time of 2:30:59, the best ever for a Canadian woman in a non-boycotted Games.
The Kelowna, B.C., native competed in the 1,500m at Athens 2004, but after failing to qualify for Beijing 2008 and London 20212, she decided to walk away from the sport. She returned to competition in 2019 as a marathon runner, and two years later smashed the Canadian women’s record to qualify for Tokyo.
Women’s Sprint Cycling: Mitchell advances to semifinals
Facing off against countrymate Lauriane Genest, Kelsey Mitchell advanced to the semis after winning her quarterfinals match.
With only four competitors remaining in the competition, she’ll square off with Germany’s Emma Hinze in the semifinals.
Women’s 4x400m Relay: Canada claims fourth in final
Racing to a time of 3:21.84, Canada’s team of Alicia Brown, Madeline Price, Kyra Constantine and Sage Watson claimed the fourth spot in the women’s 4x400m relay final.
The U.S. won gold with a time of 3:16.85, Poland captured silver with a time of 3:20.53, and Jamaica received bronze with a time of 3:21.24
Women’s Team Artistic Swimming: Canada has strong showing in team free routine
Ending with a stellar performance, Canada scored 92.5333 in the team free routine to finish with an overall score of 184.0325 and sixth place in the competition.
Women’s Water Polo: Canada finishes tournament with win
The Canadian women’s water polo team ended its tournament with a 16-7 win over China to finish seventh.
Canada’s Andrea Seccafien had a strong effort in the women’s 10,000m, finishing with a time of 31:36.36 while finishing 14th.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won gold with a time of 29:55.32, Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne secured silver with a time of 29:56.18, and Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey nabbed bronze with a time of 30:01.72.
Yeah.
During the qualifying rounds at the equestrian show-jumping event, a number of riders believed that their horse was being spooked by an all-too-real sumo statue’s behind.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.
