Day 9 highlights
Diving
After earning Canada’s first medal of the Games in 3m springboard together, both Emilie Heymans and Jen Abel did not reach the podium in the individual event Sunday at the Aquatics Center. Abel, of Montreal, earned 343.00 points for a sixth-place finish, while teammate Heymans collected 295.0 for 12th.
Track cycling
At the Velodrome Sunday, 20-year-old Zac Bell of Watson Lake, YK put together an eighth-place performance in the men’s Omnium to finish the two-day event in eighth with 49 points. “It is what it is,” said Bell. “I kind of lost my legs in the last little while. It’s the Olympics and if everything isn’t perfect, you lose a little bit. The guys on the podium definitely deserved it. It’s how the Olympics goes.” On the women’s side, Monique Sullivan finished 11th. “The support from the team has been absolutely phenomenal,” said Sullivan. “We’ve come so far in the last four years … I’m just really happy with my effort.”
Basketball
Four-time consecutive Olympic medallist Australia downed the Canadian women’s basketball team 72-63 in their last preliminary match Sunday. “We started down and then outscored them 20-12 in third quarter,” said head coach Allison McNeill. “We dug oursleves a huge hole and then battled back to climb our way out of it.” The women will face powerhouse U.S. in the quarterfinal match Tuesday after finishing group play with a 2-3 record.
Synchronized Swimming
At the Aquatic Centre Sunday, the synchro duet team of Marie-Pier Boudreau Gagnon and Elise Marcotte had a strong technical routine to earn 94.5 points and secure fourth spot before the qualification free routine Tuesday. “We came here to win a medal,” said Boudreau. “And this is a good start.”
Sailing
At Weymouth and Portland Sunday, West Vancouver’s Nikola Girke locked-in a spot for herself in the women’s windsurfing final with an overall 10th place ranking. “I’m pretty relieved,” said Girke. “I didn’t know where I would place after two difficult races today, so I am feeling relief and now I’ve got more work to do.” She will sail in the final Tuesday.
On the men’s side, Vancouver’s Zac Plavsic also advanced to the medal race with an eighth place ranking after 10 races. He will race in the final Tuesday. “It’s exciting,” said Plavsic. “I saved my best competition until the end and still have the medal race to go. I’m going to throw everything at it.”
In the 49er class, Gordon Cook and Hunter Lowden sit in 16th with two rounds to go before the medal race.
Gymnastics
On the vault, Brittany Rogers of New Westminster, B.C. finished in seventh with 14.483 points to collect Canada’s best-ever result in the event. “It’s hard to set an expectation with an Olympic final. I mean I think getting to an Olympic final is an accomplishment in itself,” said Rogers. It was a tough day for Halifax, NS’s Ellie Black who suffered a lower-leg injury during a run-up and was forced to settle with eighth.
Equestrian
Two Canadian riders have advanced to the third Jumping qualifier taking place Monday. Olympic gold medallist Eric Lamaze (Schomberg, ON) and 10-time Olympian Ian Millar (Perth, ON) sit in 13th and 17th place respectively. Jill Henselwood (Oxford Mills, ON) and Tiffany Foster (Vancouver, BC) were eliminated Sunday. The best 45 riders advance. In Team event, the Canadians sit in sixth spot after Round 1 and will move on to Round 2 Monday.
Athletics
At the track Sunday Justyn Warner equaled his personal best time of 10.9 in the 100m to finish fifth in the semifinal, while teammate Nate Brannen ran a 3:39.26 for a 12th place finish in his 1,500m semifinal. Both did not advance to the final.
