By Canadian Press

Mac Neil leads another big day in the pool for Canada at Pan Am Games

Oct 25, 2023 | 5:39 PM

SANTIAGO, Chile — Canada continued its medal haul at the 2023 Pan Am Games with big day in the pool highlighted by a record-breaking performance.

Maggie Mac Neil became Canada’s most decorated Pan Am athlete Wednesday when she helped the team to gold in the women’s 4×100-metre medley relay.

The 23-year-old from London, Ont., finished with five gold — most ever by a Canadian at a single Pan Am Games — and seven total medals in Santiago.

Canadian swimmers won three gold and five total medals on the final say 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’s 200 individual medley with teammate Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., taking silver.

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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.

Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., topped the podium in the men’s 200 IM, while the men’s 4×100 medley team captured bronze.

It was a big day for Canada’s badminton team, which swept the three doubles titles and Toronto’s Brian Yang added gold in men’s singles. And Canada won another gold at the cycling velodrome in women’s team pursuit.

Gymnast Felix Dolci of St-Eustache, Que., continued his successful Games with bronze in men’s vault. Dolci finished his Games with four medals (two gold, two bronze), including the men’s all-around title. Ava Stewart of Bowmanville, Ont., took bronze in women’s balance beam.

Alizée Brien of Sainte-Agathe, Que., and Calgary’s Shaye De Pavia finished with bronze in the women’s double sculls as Canada finished with four rowing medals, including gold in the women’s eight on Tuesday.

In diving, Mia Vallée of Kirkland, Que.,  and Pamela Ware of Greenfield Park, Que., took sliver in the women’s three-metre springboard.

Shannon Westlake of Keswick, Ont., added bronze in the women’s rifle 3×20.

Canada’s 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’s 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’s 200 IM in 1:58.74. He was followed by Arsenio Bustos of the U.S. (1:59.89) and Brazil’s Leonardo Coelho (2:00.58).

In badminton, Nyl Yakura of Pickering, Ont., and Adam Dong of Burlington, Ont., defeated Brazil’s Davi Silva and Fabricio Farias 2-1 in the men’s doubles final.

Catherine Choi of Markham, Ont., and Edmonton’s Josephine Wu took the women’s 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’s final, winning the tournament without losing a game.

In track cycling, the Canadian team of Edmonton’s Devaney Collier, Vancouver’s Fiona Majendie, Kiara Lylyk of Guelph, Ont., and Ruby West of Dundas, Ont., defeated Mexico in the women’s team pursuit final.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2023.

The Canadian Press