Four Medals, Including Two Gold, in Calgary
16 September 2023
Team Canada Shines in Guadalajara
26 September 2023
Canada took third place in the mixed team competition that concluded the Pan-American/Oceania Championships in Calgary on Sunday. In the tournament, which featured only three countries, Brazil finished first and Cuba second.
“It was a disappointing way to end the tournament. We would have liked to beat at least one team. Our team’s main objective was to gain experience and to prepare for upcoming competitions. It’s important for young athletes to compete against senior ones,” said national coach Antoine Valois-Fortier.
In addition to Bouchard, Mahée Savoie (-57 kg, New Brunswick), Alexandria Lefort (-70 kg, Ontario), Coralie Godbout (+70 kg, Quebec), Alexandre Arencibia (-90 kg, Quebec) and John Jr Messe A Bessong (+90 kg, Quebec) all competed on Sunday.
Laurence Biron (+70 kg, Quebec) and Marc Deschênes (+90 kg, Quebec) were also on the team, but did not compete.
Strong results in the individual tournaments
Canada’s results in the individual tournaments were excellent. The country finished second in the medal count, behind only Brazil, with a total of eight medals at the senior level: four gold, two silver and two bronze.
“Overall, it was a good weekend. The team was prepared and was primed to perform well. The crowd was boisterous, and we felt right at home. Competing at home is always special,” explained Valois-Fortier.
While some of the athletes attended the tournament in Calgary with the objective of gaining international competition experience, others wished to make their mark on the world stage. The coach made particular reference to François Gauthier-Drapeau, who finished third in the 2022 Pan-American/Oceania Championships, but earned his first continental championship title in the under-81 kg weight category this year.
For Charlize-Isabelle Medilo (-48 kg, Alberta), Evelyn Beaton (-52 kg, Alberta) and Laurence Biron (-70 kg, Quebec), the event was very productive, as they competed in both the junior and senior tournaments over ten days.
“This weekend, some of the athletes appeared a little drained due to all the emotional ups and downs, as well as the training sessions, but the juniors and the new competitors did extremely well. They acquired some very valuable experience,” concluded the coach.
