Canada continued its medal haul at the 2023 Pan Am Games with a big day in the pool highlighted by a record-breaking performance.
Maggie Mac Neil became Canada鈥檚 most decorated Pan Am athlete Wednesday when she helped the team to gold in the women鈥檚 4x100-metre medley relay.
The 23-year-old from London, Ont., finished with five gold 鈥� the most ever by a Canadian at a single Pan Am Games 鈥� and seven total medals in Santiago.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so special and obviously there was pressure on myself to do well,鈥� Mac Neil said.
鈥淚鈥檓 really stoked with the results, especially for October, and obviously there鈥檚 a lot to work towards but I鈥檓 really pleased with that,鈥� she added.
Canadian swimmers won three gold and five total medals on the final day of swimming competition, giving the country 25 overall (11 gold, six silver, eight bronze).
Sydney Pickrem, born in Dunedin, Fla., to parents from Halifax, won gold in the women鈥檚 200 individual medley with teammate Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivi猫res, Que., taking silver.
Harvey was also part of the winning medley relay team, swimming the final leg. She also finished with seven medals, tying Mac Neil for most ever by a Canadian female athlete at a single Pan Am Games.
鈥淚 kept telling the coaches to put me last on the relay because I wanted to have that pressure,鈥� Harvey said. 鈥淚t was extra hard for me because I had the 200 IM and it really hurt the last 50.
鈥淏ut that鈥檚 OK, I wanted to step up for Canada and it was a really fun race because I executed what I wanted to.鈥�
Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., topped the podium in the men鈥檚 200 IM, while the men鈥檚 4x100 medley team captured bronze.
It was a big day for Canada鈥檚 badminton team, which swept the three doubles titles, and Toronto鈥檚 Brian Yang added gold in men鈥檚 singles. And Canada won another gold at the cycling velodrome in women鈥檚 team pursuit.
Gymnast Felix Dolci of St-Eustache, Que., continued his successful Games with bronze in men鈥檚 vault. Dolci finished his Games with four medals (two gold, two bronze), including the men鈥檚 all-around title. Ava Stewart of Bowmanville, Ont., took bronze in women鈥檚 balance beam.
Aliz茅e Brien of Ste-Agathe, Que., and Calgary鈥檚 Shaye De Pavia finished with bronze in the women鈥檚 double sculls as Canada finished with four rowing medals, including gold in the women鈥檚 eight on Tuesday.
鈥淭here have been a lot of memorable moments for me this week,鈥� Brien said. 鈥淏ut I think it has been the team and the team spirit that I will remember the most.
鈥淲inning a gold medal in the eight was incredible but being part of the team and being with the support staff and getting to experience the Games with the crowds and volunteers, has been a lot of fun.鈥�
In diving, Mia Vall茅e of Kirkland, Que., and Pamela Ware of Greenfield Park, Que., took sliver in the women鈥檚 three-metre springboard.
Shannon Westlake of Keswick, Ont., added bronze in the women鈥檚 rifle 3x20.
Canada鈥檚 champion relay team, which also included Danielle Hanus of Newmarket, Ont., and Rachel Nichol of Lethbridge, Alta., crossed the line first in three minutes 58.76 seconds. The United States was second in 3:59.39, followed by Colombia in 4:04.73.
Earlier, Pickrem earned her second gold and third overall medal of the Games, finishing first in the women鈥檚 200 IM in a Pan Am Games record time of 2:09.04. Harvey was second in 2:11.92, followed by Helen Noble of the United States in 2:14.19.
Knox finished with five medals (one gold, four bronze) after winning the men鈥檚 200 IM in 1:58.74. He was followed by Arsenio Bustos of the U.S. (1:59.89) and Brazil鈥檚 Leonardo Coelho (2:00.58).
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first international win so I鈥檓 very happy with that,鈥� Knox said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 October, we鈥檝e just come off a little summer break and you have that little voice in the back of your head telling you every excuse why you can鈥檛 win.
鈥淵ou just have to tell it, 鈥榃atch this,鈥� and prove that little voice in your head wrong.鈥�
In badminton, Nyl Yakura of Pickering, Ont., and Adam Dong of Burlington, Ont., defeated Brazil鈥檚 Davi Silva and Fabricio Farias 2-1 in the men鈥檚 doubles final.
Catherine Choi of Markham, Ont., and Edmonton鈥檚 Josephine Wu took the women鈥檚 doubles crown with a 2-1 win over Annie Xu and Kerry Xu of the United States.
Wu won her second gold when she teamed with Ty Lindeman of St. Albert, Alta., for a 2-1 win over Americans Jennie Gai and Vinson Chiu in the mixed doubles final.
Yang beat independent athlete Kevin Cordon Buezo 2-0 in the men鈥檚 final, winning the tournament without losing a game.
In track cycling, the Canadian team of Edmonton鈥檚 Devaney Collier, Vancouver鈥檚 Fiona Majendie, Kiara Lylyk of Guelph, Ont., and Ruby West of Dundas, Ont., defeated Mexico in the women鈥檚 team pursuit final. Lylyk was a late substitute after Ngaire Barraclough withdrew due to illness.
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