Canadian Roundup: Athletes strike gold in Rio run-up
It was a golden weekend, as Canadians topped the podium in gymnastics, tennis, fencing, swimming and athletics with less than six weeks to Rio 2016.
Men’s volleyball also remains undefeated at the FIVB world League championships.
Gymnastics – Trampoline
Read: MacLennan wins world cup in Switzerland ahead of Rio
Rosie MacLennan competes in the trampoline at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games on July 19, 2015.
Reigning Olympic champion Rosie MacLennan, bounced her way onto the top of the podium in women’s trampoline. The Canadian scored 104.050 to beat China’s Zhu Xueying and Russia’s Susana Kochesok at the world cup event in Arosa, Switzerland.
Tennis
Read: Nestor and Inglot win doubles title in Nottingham
Canada’s Olympic gold medallist Daniel Nestor, partnered with Great Britain’s Dominic Inglot, to win his 89th doubles title at the Nottingham Open in England. The pair went up against Crotia’s Ivan Dodig and Brazil’s Marcelo Melo on Saturday, winning the match 7-5, 7-6 (4).
Swimming
Read: Masse sweeps backstroke events in Rome
Kylie Masse of LaSalle, ON (Photo: Scott Grant).
Kylie Masse swept the women’s backstroke events winning the 200 metre, 100m and 50m, at the Italian International swimming competition in Rome. The Canadian’s preliminary time of 27.67 seconds, set a national 50m record. Penny Oleksiak also won three medals, finishing second in 100m and 50m butterfly, while winning bronze in the 100m freestyle. Chantal Van Landeghem won silver in the 50m freestyle (24.71s), while Audrey Lacroix finished third in the 200m butterfly in two minutes 9.93s.
Fencing
Read: Brinck-Croteau wins epee bronze in Panama
Canada’s women’s foil team wins silver at the Pan Am Championships in Panama on June 26, 2016. (Photo: Fencing Canada)
Canadian fencers won seven medals at the Pan Am Championship in Panama over the weekend. Rio-bound fencer Maxime Brinck-Croteau won the nation’s first of three individual medals, taking bronze in men’s epee. Fencing Canada continued its success reaching the podium in four team events, including a gold in women’s epee. Eleanor Harvey, who will be competing at Rio 2016 this summer, helped the nation to its final medal in women’s team foil (silver).
Athletics
In Germany, world champion Shawn Barber jumped 5.90m men’s pole vault, showing world class form ahead of the Games this summer. Carline Muir extended her lead in the national 400m rankings, after running 51.05s to win the women’s event at the IAAF World Challenge in Madrid.
Volleyball
Read: Canada still unbeatable in Volleyball World League
Canada’s winning streak continues at the FIVB men’s world league championship. Fuelled by a home crowd in Saskatoon, the team secured its sixth straight victory on Sunday, defeating Portugal 3-1 (24-26, 25-15, 25-23, 25-21).
