Team Canada’s history-making moments at Paris 2024

When it comes to medals, Paris 2024 has been Team Canada’s best-ever showing at a fully attended Olympic Summer Games.

But a podium finish isn’t a prerequisite to making Olympic history. So, as we wrap up the Paris Games, here’s a look at some first-ever and best-ever achievements by Canadian athletes.

Athletics

What a week at Stade de France. Where to begin?

Andre De Grasse won his seventh Olympic medal, anchoring the men’s 4x100m relay to gold. That ties him with Penny Oleksiak as Canada’s most decorated Olympian of all time.

In other relay news, the women’s 4x100m relay team of Audrey Leduc, Jacqueline Madogo, Sade McCreath and Marie-Éloise Leclair set a new Canadian record of 42.50 seconds in Paris.

Marco Arop earned a silver medal in the men’s 800m with a personal best time of 1:41.20, which also set a new Canadian record. It’s also Canada’s first medal in the men’s 800m since Tokyo 1964.

Also on the track at Stade de France, Moh Ahmed finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m, which is Canada’s best result in over a century.

At an even longer distance, Evan Dunfee and Olivia Lundman became the first Canadians to compete in the marathon race walk mixed relay, which joined the Olympic program this year. They also set a new Canadian record time of 3:04:57.

Now onto the field—Alysha Newman became Canada’s first ever Olympic medallist in the women’s pole vault, winning a bronze. In the process, she set a new Canadian record by clearing a height of 4.85m.

Coming into Paris 2024, Canada hadn’t won Olympic gold in any throwing event in 120 years. Ethan Katzberg put that to rest, winning gold in the men’s hammer throw.

A few days later, Camryn Rogers won gold in the women’s hammer throw, Canada’s first gold in a women’s athletics event since Amsterdam 1928.

That’s just the third time that one country has won both the men’s and women’s hammer throw at one Olympic Games. Poland did it at Tokyo 2020 and Sydney 2000.

Canoe/Kayak – Sprint

Katie Vincent claimed a gold medal in the women’s C-1 200m on Day 15, achieving a World Best time of 44.12 seconds in the process. The two-time Olympian became the first Canadian woman to win gold in any canoe or kayak event.

Beach volleyball

Playing in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson made their first Olympic appearance as a team—and that wouldn’t be their only first.

Battling through the lucky loser round, they’d go on to reach the semifinal (a Canadian women’s first), then the final (a Canadian first) and win the silver medal (a Canadian first).

The previous high watermark for Canada in women’s Olympic beach volleyball had been reaching the quarterfinals, which both Humana-Paredes (with Sarah Pavan) and Wilkerson (with Heather Bansley) had achieved at Tokyo 2020.

Their silver beats out the bronze won by John Child and Mark Heese in the men’s tournament when beach volleyball made its Olympic debut at Atlanta 1996.

Swimming

Just in case you somehow hadn’t heard, Summer McIntosh made a bit of history at these Games.

The 17-year-old phenom is the first Canadian to ever win three gold medals at one Olympic Games, with her triumphs in the women’s 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly. She also set a new Olympic record (2:06.56) in the 200m IM.

Ilya Kharun won Canada’s first ever Olympic medal in the men’s 200m butterfly, a bronze, which was Canada’s first medal in a men’s swimming event since London 2012. Then, for good measure, he won another bronze in the 100m butterfly, sharing the podium with silver medal-winning team Josh Liendo. That was Canada’s first double podium at the Olympic Summer Games since Montreal 1976.

Also, Kylie Masse became the first Canadian swimmer to win individual medals at three Olympic Games.

READ: Masse carries on consistency, capturing fifth Olympic medal

Fencing

Eleanor Harvey won Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport, a bronze in the women’s individual foil. She and teammates Jessica Guo and Yunjia Zhang also came close in the women’s team foil event, with a fourth-place finish that represented Canada’s best-ever result in the event.

On the men’s side, Fares Arfa earned Canada’s best ever Olympic result in any men’s individual fencing event. He upset the three-time defending Olympic champion en route to an eighth-place finish in men’s individual sabre.

Tennis

Félix Auger-Aliassime and Gaby Dabrowski won bronze in mixed doubles, Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in that event. Auger-Aliassime also finished fourth in men’s singles, Canada’s best Olympic result in either of the tennis singles tournaments.

In women’s singles play, Leylah Annie Fernandez reached the Round of 16, Canada’s best-ever result in that tournament.

Judo

Christa Deguchi won Canada’s first gold medal at Paris 2024, which was also Canada’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in judo. Deguchi’s victory in the women’s 57kg event was a first Olympic medal for Canada’s most decorated female judoka.

Boxing

Wyatt Sanford won bronze in the men’s 63.5kg event, Canada’s first Olympic medal in boxing in 28 years (since David Defiagbon‘s silver at Atlanta 1996).

Rugby Sevens

The nation’s first Cinderella story at these Games, Canada’s rugby sevens squad made it all the way to the gold medal game. Coming into the tournament ranked fifth, Canada had placed no higher than third at any international tournament in the year prior to Paris 2024.

But Canada played with a chip on their shoulder, upsetting France in the quarterfinals and shocking Australia in the semis. Canada even led at halftime in the gold medal game, before eventually falling to the defending Olympic champions, New Zealand.

The silver medal is Canada’s best-ever result in the event.

3×3 Basketball

The team of Michelle Plouffe, Katherine Plouffe, Kacie Bosch and Paige Crozon are notching all kinds of firsts in Paris. They the first Canadian team to compete in 3×3 basketball, which was introduced at Tokyo 2020.

They recorded Canada’s first-ever 3×3 win, over Australia on Day 4. And with another win over Australia on Day 8, they’ve earned the chance to play for Canada’s first-ever medal. That will be decided on Monday.

Basketball

Elsewhere on the hard court, Canada’s men returned to the Olympics and notched their first win since Sydney 2000. The team is through to the quarterfinals in search of what would be their first and only medal since a silver at Berlin 1936.

Artistic Gymnastics

In Canada’s first ever appearance in the men’s Olympic team final, René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Émard, Sam Zakutney, and Zachary Clay finished eighth.

In the women’s team final, the team of Ellie Black, Cassie Lee, Shallon Olsen, Ava Stewart and Aurelie Tran matched Canada’s best-ever finish of fifth place.

Skateboarding

Cordano Russell finished seventh in the men’s street skateboard, Canada’s best Olympic result in any skateboard event.

Cycling – BMX

Jeffrey Whaley became Canada’s first ever Olympian in BMX freestyle when he competed in the men’s park event at La Concorde. He finished 10th in the qualification round, missing out on advancing to the final by one spot.

In BMX racing, Molly Simpson finished fifth for Canada’s best ever Olympic result in the women’s event and tie for Canada’s best ever Olympic result in the discipline.

Diving

Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray made history for Canada, winning the country’s first ever Olympic medal in the men’s synchronized 10m platform event, diving to bronze. 

Surfing

Way over in Tahiti, Sanoa Dempfle-Olin became Canada’s first ever Olympic competitor in surfing, making it to the second round in the women’s competition.

Canoe/Kayak Slalom

Kayak cross made its Olympic debut in Paris, with Lois Betteridge and Alex Baldoni becoming the first Canadians to ever compete. Both qualified for Sunday’s heats in their respective events.