Canada will play for Pan Am basketball gold

Curt Harnett’s voice was raspy, so he was trying to take it easy over the weekend.

But Canada’s chef de mission – and the team’s head cheerleader – was otherwise keeping quiet. Of course water polo started on the Wednesday before the opening ceremonies, and I kind of maybe overdid it a little bit. “I was confident, I wanted to win for the home crowd”.

With the Pan Am gold medal almost in its grasp, the United States threw it away Sunday night. The US plated a pair of runs in the road half, and Canada counterpunched with what you saw above.

It didn’t end prettily, but it probably didn’t matter to Team Canada, who beat Team United States 7-6 in 10 innings and secured their second consecutive gold medal in the Pan American Games. That’s when the Americans completely collapsed.

The right fielder’s throw then sailed wide of third, allowing Canada to score two runs and clinch the gold.

In all Canada won 16 medals Sunday to sit second overall with 142 (54 gold, 48 silver, 40 bronze). His teammate Inaki Gomez captured the silver.

Monique Sullivan made history, and the Canadian track cycling team finished its dominant run at the Pan American Games with a bang.

Canada has dominated the track cycling events, winning six gold, a silver and a bronze. “Not even close. It’s a whole different level for me there….”

“Everyone in the dugout, understood worldwide rules”, said Canada starter Jeff Francis, who pitched a strong seven innings.

“It will very be interesting if we come up against each other because we’ve trained together so much and know each other’s secrets”. The women have won one silver, in 1999 in Winnipeg, and three bronze.

MacLennan, the reigning Olympic champion, also won the Pan Am title four years ago in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Women’s K-1 – Jazmyne Denhollander, Chilliwack, B.C., won the gold medal (97.92).

Vancouver rhythmic gymnast Patricia Bezzoubenko won a bronze medal in the individual all-around competition, holding on to third place despite dropping the ribbon early in her final routine at the Toronto Coliseum. It’s ridiculous, but that’s the way the games have to be played because of tight schedules. “I’m really looking forward to the future and maybe we can duel again and see who comes out on top”. “So it’s a great combination”. Canada’s men’s volleyball team, of which Calgarians Rudy Verhoeff and Graham Vigrass are a part of, beat Puerto Rico 3-1 to improve to 2-0 in preliminary round play and sit atop Group B.

The athletics competition opened with Peru’s Gladys Tejeda winning the women’s marathon, a challenging course through Toronto’s High Park, beating out 2011 Pan Am gold medalist Adriana Da Silva in hot, humid conditions. 7-6 final in 10 innings.

– A one-two finish in women’s mountain biking. They also earned an all-important qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The ties between the teams add an extra layer of intrigue.

– A Canadian swim team that raked in 27 medals including eight gold.

There may have been one under each base and home plate. There’s this collective energy.

“Kate was coming so fast I was just glad I was able to hold her off one last time”. “And that’s really what’s exciting about what’s happening here and the overall attitude and spirit of this team”.

“It’s more about myself and showing what I can do”.