Canada settles for silver in hard-fought wheelchair rugby final against United States

The United States defeated Canada in the gold medal game at the Parapan Am Games in Santiago, Chile on Thursday night.

Not only are the Americans champions of this event, they also earned a berth to the Paris Paralympics in the process.

It was a bitter 57-51 defeat for Canada, who hadn't lost a single match going into the title game.

The United States overpowered Canada in crucial moments of the game, led by three-time Paralympian Chuck Aoki and the only female member of the American team Sarah Adam, who scored a combined 45 tries.

"It's so thrilling. It's been a tough year for the USA team. We've had a lot of losses but our goal was to win here and we did it when it counted," Aoki said after the win.

"I try to enjoy these moments in my life. There are only so many times you'll play for a gold medal. It's a really sweet moment."

WATCH l Canada's wheelchair rugby team falls to Americans 57-51:

SILVER MEDAL: Canada falls to U.S. in Parapan Am wheelchair rugby gold medal game

1 year ago

Duration 2:43

The United States defeats Canada 57-51 in the wheelchair rugby gold medal game at the Parapan American Games and secures a place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Adam has made history in the winning effort, becoming the first woman ever to win a Parapan Am Games gold medal – it's a mixed sport but never before has a female been part of a championship team until now.

"It was a team win. We came out with a great plan against Canada and the chemistry with the lines was just working," Adam said.

"It means a lot that my teammates and coaches have faith in me. The fans were electric. We have really good matchups. You have to play really clean rugby against them."

Aoki had high praise for his history-making teammate.

"I'm so impressed by Sarah. She's so dynamic and such a great teammate. I love her being a part of our team," he said.

The gritty Canadian side must now win a last-chance qualifier in order to book its ticket to Paris in 2024.

"We're proud of the fact we're here and won silver. Obviously disappointed. But we have to have a short-term memory about this. We have a qualifying opportunity coming up in March," Zak Madell said.

Madell, arguably the best wheelchair rugby player on the planet, scored 36 of Canada's 51 tries.

"We weren't perfect. I think we'll watch a lot of video and have a lot of good takeaways from this," he said.

"We have a lot of good evidence of what we can do as a team. We know what we're capable of."

Fellow Canadian teammate Cody Caldwell echoed Madell's comments about what the team is capable of accomplishing – but still felt like it was a missed opportunity.

"It leaves a bad taste in our mouths, especially losing to the Americans. It just sucks," he said.

"We were almost perfect all week. It's not over. Now we regroup and we have to go to New Zealand in March to qualify. Our job is not finished yet."

Canada brought its undefeated record into the title game, having defeated the Americans in preliminary play as well as the rest of the field – they had an undeniable swagger and confidence about them as the match began. 

But they would be tested time and time again by the USA.

That two-goal lead would hold for much of the second period as both teams tried to find space on the crowded court.

A turning point game with 4:28 left before halftime, when Madell stripped the ball from the Americans and took it in for a try. That made it 20-19 USA, and it looked as though Canada had started building momentum.

But the Americans are the top-ranked team in the world for a reason. They showed poise and patience, countering the Canadian attack at every turn of the wheelchair, inevitably outclassing Canada down the stretch.

The first two Parapan Am Games finals (the sport joined the Games in 2015 in Toronto) were between the Canadians and Americans.

Canada took the gold on home soil in 2015 to earn its ticket to Rio 2016. The Americans got revenge in 2019, forcing Canada to win a last chance qualifier to get its ticket to Tokyo 2020.

And now Canada is once again in a position after having to win a last-chance qualifier after this Parapan Am Games loss to USA.

Bouchard strikes gold in Para athletics

Quebec City's Anthony Bouchard secured Canada's first gold medal in Para athletics in Santiago, setting a record en route to going fastest in the men's 100m T52 final.

His men's 100m – T52 Americas record time of 17.67 was enough to edge Mexico's Salvador Hernandez by just 0.03 seconds.

"I had a good start and I was able to push through [for] all the race, so that was almost the perfect race," said Bouchard, 31, after the event. "I wasn't expecting this at all coming here, so [that was] pretty good, pretty cool as well."

WATCH l Anthony Bouchard grabs Canada's 1st gold in Para athletics:

GOLD MEDAL: Quebec's Anthony Bouchard breaks Americas record with victory in men’s 100m T52

1 year ago

Duration 2:45

Anthony Bouchard of Quebec City captures gold in the men’s 100m T52 final at the Parapan American Games with an Americas record time of 17.67.

Bouchard started wheelchair racing in 2020, finishing eighth in the 100m and 400m at the world championships earlier in 2023.

That's Bouchard second medal in Santiago, having previously won a bronze.

Canadian women advance to goalball final

Emma Reinke's hat trick helped Canada to a 4-2 victory over two-time defending champions Brazil in the women's goalball semifinals Thursday at the Parapan American Games.

"This is amazing, a real moment," said four-time Paralympian Amy Burk of Charlottetown. "Brazil is a really strong team and we knew to beat them we really were going to have bring our A game."

The Americans beat Argentina 8-1 in the other semifinal.

In the men's semifinal, Canada dropped an 11-4 decision to the U.S.

Edmonton's Blair Nesbitt scored all four Canadian goals.

`'We put everything into the last four years to get a different result," said Canadian veteran Doug Ripley of Vancouver. `'It's really heartbreaking."

Earlier Thursday, Canadian wheelchair rugby athlete Eric Rodrigues was elected to the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) Athletes' Council.

Canadian Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Karen O'Neill said Rodrigues is a strong leader with a passion for making Para sport the "best and most impactful it can be."

"We know he will be a very effective ambassador for all Para athletes in the Americas and contribute to advancing Para sport across the region," O'Neill said in a statement.

"We wish him the best in this new role and look forward to working with him more as an athlete leader."

WATCH | Action from Day 6 in Santiago:

Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games: Day 6 late highlights

1 year ago

Duration 20:01

Watch some of the best performances from the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.

Canada thumps Argentina in wheelchair hoops

Canada's women's wheelchair basketball team breezed past Argentina 76-36 for the chance to play for gold in a Friday matchup against the U.S.

Arinn Young of St. Albert, Alta., led the Canadian squad in the 40-point trounce with 29 points. Cindy Ouellet of Quebec City, who also competed in Para Nordic skiing in PyeongChang 2018, added 18 points and 11 assists.

Rosalie Lalonde of St-Clet, Que., and Élodie Tessier of St-Germain de Grantham, Que., also reached double digits, tallying 10 points each.

Canada edged the South American team in every quarter, securing a 21-8 lead after the first and a comfortable 47-20 advantage at the break. The Canadians tripled up their opponents in the third quarter 18-6, also outscoring Argentina in the final frame 11-10.

The Canadian squad remains perfect in the tournament, having defeated Brazil (61-44), El Salvador (69-17) and Colombia (71-25) in group play.

The Americans doubled up Brazil 60-30 in the other semifinal.

Pemble, Hayward score cycling medals

Meanwhile, Victoria's Mel Pemble captured silver in the women's C1-5 500-metre individual time trial in track cycling.

Pemble, 23, switched from Para alpine to cycling in 2020 and enjoyed near-immediate success, including a medal of each colour at this year's world championships.

Her personal-best time of 37.565 seconds left her under a second shy of gold medallist Sabrina Custodia Da Silva of Brazil (36.864) in Santiago.

Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., added bronze in the men's C1-5 1,000 individual time trial, stopping the clock in one minute 6.566 seconds.

It marks the 26-year-old's second medal of these Games after he won gold in a road cycling event.

WATCH | More action from Day 6 in Santiago:

Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games: Day 6 early highlights

1 year ago

Duration 20:04

Watch some of the best performances from the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.