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 8 of the Summer Games:
Women’s 200m Backstroke Swimming: Kylie Masse takes home second silver of Olympics
Swimming in the women’s 200m backstroke, Masse earned a time of 2:05.42 to bring home silver, and a new national record for Canada.
Also finishing on the podium were Australia’s Kaylee McKeown and Emily Seebohm. McKeown raced to a time of 2:04.68 while Seebohm finished with a time of 2:06.17.
This medal marks the second Masse has won at the Tokyo Games, as the Canadian also earned silver in the women’s 100m backstroke.
“I know I have high expectations of myself, but I’m really happy to have gotten on the podium a second time at an Olympic Games,” Masse said.
She now has three all-time medals at the Olympics as she also earned bronze in the women’s 100m Backstroke at Rio 2016.
Impressively, Canada has now earned six medals in the pool at these Olympics, and all are from women.
Women’s 400m Hurdles: Sage Watson claims spot in semifinal
Racing to a time of 55.54 seconds, Watson tied Italy’s Linda Olivieri to finish 17th in Round 1. She’ll now race in Semifinal 1. Fellow Canadian Noel Montcalm finished 24th but did not qualify for the semi.
Women’s Rugby Sevens: Canada defeats Kenya to finish ninth
The Canadian women defeated Kenya 24-10 to finish ninth in the tournament.
Men’s 800m: Marco Arop advances to semifinal
Arop finished with a time of 1:45.26 to finish eighth in Round 1 which qualified him for the semi. Fellow Canadian Brandon McBride earned a time of 1:46.32 but did not earn a lane in the next round.
Hughes shot six-under-par to finish fourth during Round 3 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. He and his fellow Canadian Corey Conners are tied for 17th in the tournament after three rounds. United States golfer Xander Schauffele currently owns the lead with a score of -14.
Women’s 3m Springboard Diving: Jennifer Abel qualifies for final
With a total of 341.40, Abel finished third in the semifinal to secure a spot in the final. She only trailed Chinese divers Wang Han and Shi Tingmao during the round. Canadian Pamela Ware finished 18th and did not advance to the final.
Men’s 100m: Andre De Grasse surges to semifinal
Finishing with a blazing time of 9.91 seconds, the fastest in Round 1, De Grasse earned himself a spot in the semi. Fellow Canadians Gavin Smellie and Bismark Boateng finished 51st and 52nd respectively which wasn’t good enough to qualify for the next round. De Grasse will next compete on Day 9 of the Olympics.
Kylie Masse and Andre De Grasse put forward sellar performances on Day 8 of the Tokyo Olympics. (Getty)
Lifting a combined weight of 386kg, Santavy finished fourth in the men’s 96kg final. Georgia’s Anton Plyesnoy and Venezuela’s Keydomar Vallenilla tied by lifting a total weight of 387kg, a result which awarded Plyesnoy silver and Vallenilla bronze. Qatar’s Fares Ibrahim Elbakh earned gold by lifting an Olympic record of 402kg.
Santavy lifted the most of any competitor during the snatch lift, clearing 178kg.
Way Beyond Gold: Tony Hawk has to explain Margielyn Didal’s joke to reporter
22-year-old Marigelyn Didal of the Philippines competed in the first-ever skateboarding event at the Olympics after winning gold at the Asian Games in 2018. During the Tokyo Games, Didal got to take a photo with one of the legends of the sport, Tony Hawk.
On social media, Didal jokingly captioned the photo “this guy asked me to take a photo with him and I let him because he looks like Tony Hawk.”
The joke seemed pretty apparent, but apparently, one reporter didn’t quite catch on.
“I was asked during an interview today,” Hawk started. “How does it feel to go to the Olympics and not be recognized by competing skaters, like Margielyn Didal?” So I had to explain that she was joking with her caption. My life is weird.”
Hawk, one of the most famous names in the game, definitely knows how to take things lightly.
How many medals has Canada won in the Summer Olympics?
Canada is now up to 12 medals in Tokyo heading into Day 9.
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.
