Toronto, August 14, 2015 – Last Canadian parajudoka to compete in the ParaPan American Games, Tony Walby didn’t manage to repeat his 2011 feat, when he won the Under 100kg bronze medal Guadalajara. This time fighting in the Under 90kg, he was up against tough opponents and eventually finished fifth.

The Ottawa, Ontario athlete knew the Herculean task ahead of him in his quarterfinal match against Brazilian Antonio da Silva, champion at the Paralympic Games of Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, and bronze medallist at the London Games.

“I didn’t throw him, he didn’t throw me,” he said. “I put in a good fight, especially against the most decorated VI judoka of all time.”

A single shido, taken by Walby in the second minute of the match, set the two VI judokas apart and tipped the scale in Da Silva’s favour.

But it wasn’t over for the 41-year-old. In hopes of making it to the third step of the podium, he locked horns with Dartanyon Crockett, an athlete from the United States who took home the other London Games bronze medal, and was crowned world championship in 2014. Crockett dominated the fight from start to finish and walked away with the bronze.

Lagging behind by two shidos, Walby never managed to bounce back. The American opened the score with a yuko, and then got in an ippon towards the end of the match, pushing the Canadian athlete to fifth place. “With a few seconds left, I was down, he got me in a pin, and that was it.”

“I gave it my all – I couldn’t give any more. I did my best and that was all I could do.”

Walby rated his ParaPan American Games experience highly. “The Games experience has been awesome. The Canadian staff are helpful, the village is beautiful – a great home games.”

-30-

Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada