BIRMINGHAM, UK –
Canadians continue to rack up medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Three Canadians won gold on Monday, part of a 13-medal streak. Maude Charron of Sainte-Luce, Que., won the women’s weightlifting event of 64 kilograms to set a Commonwealth Games record.
Judoka Christa Deguchi won the women’s 57 kilogram event and swimmer Summer McIntosh of Toronto took the podium in the women’s 200-metre IM.
Charron lifted 101 kilograms in the snatch, then 130 in the clean and jerk. The 29-year-old topped the standings in every section, finishing 15 kilograms ahead of the second-highest overall score.
Charron said she felt a lot of pressure to perform at the Commonwealth Games after winning gold in the event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and in the 63 kilogram category at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in 2018.
“I try to separate my pressure from the pressure people put on me,” she said. “‘I just try to put what I’ve done in the past behind me and look for what I need to do in my own work.
“I have three snaps to go, three clean and jerks to go, and that’s all I need to focus on.”
Australian Sarah Cochrane won silver behind Charron with a total weight of 216 kilograms and Islamiyat Yusuf of Nigeria was third with 212.
Charron wasn’t the only Canadian weightlifter to medal on Monday, with Alexis Ashworth of Oungre, Sask., taking silver in the women’s 71 kilograms and Nicolas Vachon of Saint-Hippolyte, Que. who won bronze in the men’s 81 kilograms.
Deguchi, who was born in Nagano, Japan, but represents Canada in international competition, beat England’s Acelya Toprak in their final, while Malin Wilson of Scotland and Christianne Legentil of Mauritius won are shared the bronze.
Christa’s sister Kelly Deguchi won silver in a loss to Australia’s Tinka Easton in the women’s 52 kilogram judo final. Charne Griesel of South Africa and Yasmin Javadian of Northern Ireland shared the bronze.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve been on a podium on the same day as my sister, so it was so exciting today,” said Christa Deguchi.
Australian Kaylee McKeown took silver behind 15-year-old McIntosh, while England’s Abbie Wood took third place.
McIntosh won Canada’s first gold of the Games on Friday in the women’s 400 individual medley. The 15-year-old is coming off an outstanding performance earlier this year at the World Aquatic Championships which earned her four medals, including two gold.
“I didn’t know what to expect because the 200 IM is more of a sprint event for me,” said McIntosh. “I was happy with the way I raced and my time. The only pressure I feel is what I put on myself. The only thing that matters is my expectations.”
Kylie Masse of Windsor, Ont., added to Canada’s medal tally on Monday with a silver medal in the women’s 200-metre backstroke, finishing behind McKeown and ahead of Scotland’s Katie Shanahan.
Javi Acevedo of Toronto won bronze in the men’s 50-metre backstroke placing behind winner Andrew Jeffcoat of New Zealand and Pieter Coetze of South Africa.
“I’m so happy to finally break through a barrier,” said Acevedo, who lowered his five-year-old Canadian record by posting a time of 24.97. “I’ve been wanting to do a better time in this event for a while. Winning a medal is just the icing on the cake for me.”
Four gymnasts stood on the podium for Canada, starting with Felix Dolci of Laval, Que., who won silver on men’s floor for his second Commonwealth Games medal.
Laurie Denommee of Saint-Eustache, Que., took silver in women’s vault, Jayson Rampersad of Mississauga, Ont., bronze on men’s pommel horse and Chris Kaji of Vancouver took bronze on rings masculine.
The cyclists added two bronze medals for Canada with Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, BC, taking the podium in the 10 kilometer and Kelsey Mitchell of Sherwood Park, Alta., medalist in the women’s Keirin.
Canada is fifth in the medal standings with four gold, eight silver and 14 bronze.
Vachon lifted a total of 320 kilograms, behind Englishman Chris Murray (325) and Australian Kyle Bruce (323).
Dolci, of Laval, Que., won his silver medal with a score of 14.166, finishing behind winner Jake Jarman of Britain (14.666). Giarnni Regini-Moran of England won bronze with 13.966 points.
“I feel really, really proud, really blessed, happy to have good results for the country,” Dolci said. “Silver is a really good accomplishment. Obviously we’re still striving for gold but, I mean, my friend Jake had a brilliant performance, so he totally deserves it.”
Dolci won his first medal of the Games on the opening day of competition when he helped Canada finish second in the men’s team final.
Denommee was just behind Georgia Godwin with identical scores of 13.233 on vault, with the advantage going to the Australian depending on the difficulty. Scotland’s Shannon Archer (13.083) won bronze.
Rampersad’s score of 14,000 came behind England’s Joe Fraser (14.833) and Northern Irishman Rhys Mc Clenaghan (14.133).
Kaji finished third on the podium with 14.266 in the men’s rings final, with England’s Courtney Tulloch (14.400) taking gold and Cypress’ Sokratis Pilakouris (14.300) silver.
Coles-Lyster finished behind England’s Laura Kenny and New Zealand’s Michaela Drummond respectively in the women’s 10 kilometer scratch race.
Mitchell completed the Keirin podium, with New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews taking gold and England’s Sophie Capewell silver. It was Mitchell’s fourth medal at the Games after taking silver in three previous track cycling events.
Canada will be guaranteed two medals in 3×3 wheelchair basketball.
The women advanced to Tuesday’s final against Australia with a 12-5 semi-final win over Scotland. Elodie Tessier and Kady Dandeneau had five points each for Canada.
The men will also face Australia for the gold medal on Tuesday after a 14-9 win over Malaysia. Colin Higgins had 11 points for Canada.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 1, 2022.
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