Canada continued to add to its medal count at the Paris Olympics with a spirited silver medal from the women’s rugby sevens team. Despite a hard-fought 19-12 loss to New Zealand in the final, Canada managed to secure its sixth medal of the Games. In the first half of the game, Canada took a surprising 12-7 lead with Chloe Daniels and Alysha Corrigan scoring late tries. However, New Zealand responded in the second half with tries from Michaela Blyde and Stacey Waaka, ultimately defending their title. The silver in rugby sevens added to Canada’s total of six medals, which included two gold, two silver, and two bronze.
Canada’s journey to the rugby final included an impressive 21-12 semifinal win over Australia, one of three victories Canada achieved over its Commonwealth cousin on Tuesday. In men’s basketball, Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett led Canada to a 93-83 victory against Australia, while in women’s 3×3 basketball, the team secured a 22-14 win over the Aussies. Barrett credited teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for making the team’s performance smoother on the court, stating that Gilgeous-Alexander’s presence drew attention and created openings for the entire team. The women’s 3×3 basketball team, led by the Plouffe twins from Edmonton, secured the win with a combined 18 points.
In tennis, Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime dominated his men’s second-round match against Maximilian Marterer from Germany with a 6-0, 6-1 victory. However, Leylah Fernandez faced defeat in her women’s third-round match against Angelique Kerber. In gymnastics, the Canadian women’s artistic team, led by four-time Olympian Ellie Black, matched its best-ever result with a fifth-place finish. The American team, led by Simone Biles, took home the gold, while Canada initially held the fourth spot before being overtaken by Britain, ultimately finishing fifth. In swimming, Kylie Masse from LaSalle, Ont., narrowly missed adding to her career medal haul with a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter backstroke.
Despite the disappointment in swimming, Montreal’s Ilya Kharun showed promise in the men’s 200-meter butterfly with the third-best time in the semifinals, positioning himself as a medal threat in the final. In judo, Canada was unable to replicate the success of Christa Deguchi’s gold medal on Monday, with both Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard and François Gauthier Drapeau losing repechage matches. The athletes expressed disappointment in their performances, with Fernandez struggling to hold back her emotions after her defeat. Overall, Canada’s athletes showcased determination and resilience, securing medals and achieving commendable performances across various sports at the Paris Olympics.
