
The 2023 Pan Am Games witnessed an unparalleled display of sport mastery, all courtesy of Team Canada. Most notably, the aquatic discipline saw a Canadian, Maggie MacNeil, ascend among others to etch her name as the country’s most ornamented Pan Am athlete of all time. This milestone was achieved when she led her squad to victory in the women’s 4×100-metre medley relay.
Hailing from London, Ontario, the 23-year-old blazed her trail through the games, accumulating seven medals in total. A collection which is, thus far, the highest ever pocketed by a single Canadian athlete in the history of the Pan Am Games. “The sense of accomplishment is overwhelming, yet a constant reminder of the pressure to excel,” Mac Neil reflected.
The Canadian aquatic contingent wrapped up the final day of the games in a medal sweep, ensnaring eight more to the already impressive total. This saw Canada’s medal tally climbing to a staggering 25 – a collection adorned with 11 gold, six silver, and eight bronze medals.
Sydney Pickrem, a Dunedin-born athlete, clinched gold in the women’s 200 individual medley while her compatriot Mary-Sophie Harvey took silver. Harvey served as a crucial component of the victorious medley relay team, swimming the final leg of the race and secured a matching tally of seven medals, equaling Mac Neil’s record.
Meanwhile, Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alberta, clinched a memorable victory in the men’s 200 IM, boosting his personal tally to five. Canada’s badminton squad, led by Toronto’s Brian Yang, presented another golden spectacle, sweeping all doubles titles as well as securing gold in men’s singles.
Felix Dolci made his successful presence felt across gymnastic events collecting four medals (two gold, two bronze), whilst Ava Stewart earned the bronze in women’s balance beam.
In rowing, Alizee Brien of Ste-Agathe and Shaye De Pavia of Calgary secured bronze in the double sculls along with gold in the women’s eight. “Being on the team and surrounded by this spirit is what I’ll remember the most,” shared Brien.
On the diving boards, Mia Vallee and Pamela Ware won silver in the women’s three-metre springboard, and markswoman Shannon Westlake bagged a bronze in the women’s rifle 3×20.
In track cycling, a brilliant team performance at the velodrome resulted in a gold for Canadian women. Their exploit was resoundingly applauded by their fans. The Canadian team, elevated by the victories, look forward to repeating their stellar performances in future editions of the games.