Canadian Roundup: Nyhaug and Parrot ride to gold medals
Feature photo: Tory Nyhaug after winning the UCI BMX World Cup time trial in Argentina on March 25, 2016. (UCI BMX Supercross)
As summer sports kick into high gear and winter seasons wind down, Tory Nyhaug won the first BMX World Cup time trial title, while Max Parrot brought home his final slopestyle victory.
It wasn’t all good news this weekend, however as Canada also suffered heart breaking losses in team sports.
Cycling – BMX
Read: Nyhaug wins BMX World Cup time trial in Argentina
Nyhaug won the men’s time trial event at the first UCI BMX World Cup competition of the season on Friday. The Canadian’s time of 31.026 seconds beat the reigning World Champion Neik Kimmann (31.119s) and two-time Olympic Champion Maris Strombergs (31.318s) who finished second and third respectively.
Snowboard
Parrot concluded his 2015-16 season with a slopestyle title at the Snowboard Grandvalira Total Fight in Andorra on Saturday. The Canadian won the competition with a score of 89.33 points, after being the only rider to include a triple cork in his run. Belgium’s Seppe Smits finished second with 87.66, while 85.33 secured the bronze for Switzerland’s Moritz Thoenen.
Water polo
Read: Women’s water polo strides closer to Rio
Christine Robinson (left) goes to block during a water polo match at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games
The women’s water polo team vied for a spot at Rio 2016 over the weekend at the Olympic qualification tournament in Gouda, Netherlands. The squad advanced out of the pool competition and needed to defeat Italy in the quarterfinals to clinch an Olympic berth. In a heartbreaking match where the Canadians made a two point comeback in the final quarter, the team lost 8-7, ending their shot at the Games this summer.
Curling
Team Canada celebrates their win over Scotland during the 17th draw at the women’s world curling championship in Saskatchewan on March 24, 2016. (Jonathan Hayward)
Canada’s team of Chelsea Carey, Olympian Amy Nixon, Jocelyn Peterman and Laine Peters competed in the World Women’s Curling Championship in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The Canadians ended the week-long tournament with heavy hearts after a 9-8 loss to Russia in the bronze medal match.
