Canadian Parapan Am Team on Day 2: Canada opens with six medals

• Nathan Riech and Guillaume Ouellet both win gold in Para athletics
• Priscilla Gagne's silver in Para judo Canada's first of the Games
• Canada wins a pair of bronze medals in Para table tennis

LIMA, Aug. 24, 2019 /CNW/ - Canada captured six medals at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games on Saturday, the first day podium spots were up for grabs. Medals were won in Para athletics, Para judo, and Para table tennis, while many teams progressed their efforts in round-robin play with victories.

MEDAL CHART:

TOP HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY

In his first-ever race at a multi-sport Games, Nathan Riech ran in Parapan Am Games record time to take home Canada's first gold medal of Lima 2019 in the T37/38 1500m race. Riech needed just 4:03.72 to complete the race, which is a T38 Games record. Fellow Canadian Liam Stanley joined him on the second step of the podium, winning silver in a T37 record time of 4:12.13. Mitchell Chase finished fifth.  

''I ran with confidence. I just said come and catch me and I wanted to make a statement and say I'm here and Canada is here to stay. The team is more important to me and I want to further the Para movement and I can't do that by myself. So many have opened the doors for me and I want to open the doors for the next generation.''
- Nathan Riech

Guillaume Ouellet gave Canada a second gold medal on the track, winning the T13 5000m. This is his second career Parapan Am Games gold medal ? he won the 1500m four years ago.

"I had some hamstring injuries since nationals last year in July, so I was barely able to run for seven or eight months. So to be able to come back from that is awesome. At one point last year I was a bit disappointed about it because you're not running for three weeks and it still hurts. It was a tough time. This is a big comeback for me.''
- Guillaume Ouellet

Priscilla Gagné captured Canada's first medal at the Parapan Am Games with a silver in the women's Para judo 52 kg category. She regained her composure following an early defeat and went on to win her next three fights, including a decisive finish that secured the silver medal in her final bout. She is now a two-time silver medallist at the Parapan Am Games, matching her feat from Toronto 2015. In the men's 60 kg category, Justin Karn narrowly missed the podium, coming in fourth.

"I'm really excited and I'm proud for Canada. More medals for Canada is always a good thing. I'm really excited because this is a great preparation for the next competition. It gives me confidence and shows me where I need to work harder, where my weaknesses are, and what's working. I'm really pleased."
- Priscilla Gagné

Canada's Para table tennis players captured a pair of bronze medals in individual play. Canada's Opening Ceremony flag bearer Stephanie Chan finished third in the women's Class 7 division, while Ian Kent earned the same result in men's Class 8 play. For Chan it is her fifth Parapan Am Games medal, while it is Kent's seventh. Both athletes have now medalled at each of the last four Parapan Am Games.  

Canada is now 3-0 in wheelchair rugby round-robin play. In the morning, the squad defeated Brazil 58-43, in a close duel though Canada was able to hold the lead for the duration of the match. The team returned to the court in the evening and put forth a third consecutive win, this time 64-45 over Colombia. Canada is one of two undefeated teams in the tournament so far alongside the United States.

The Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team opened its Lima 2019 tournament in dominant fashion, posting an 83-6 win over Colombia. Kady Dandeneau scored a game-high 21 points off the bench for Canada, while co-captains Arinn Young and Cindy Ouellet, as well as Rosalie Lalonde, all also contributed double-digit points.  

Thomas Venos earned his first multi-sport Games victory on the tennis courts with an imposing 6-2, 6-2 opening round victory over Mexico's Raul Ortega. Teammate Jonathan Tremblay came up just short in a thrilling three-set loss, falling to local favourite Jesus Mayhua in front of a loud Peruvian crowd.

In sitting volleyball, the Canadian men finished 2-0 on the first day of action, defeating Colombia and Peru, while the women opened with a loss to Brazil, the third-highest ranked team in the world.  

For the complete Canadian Parapan Am Team results on August 24, please CLICK HERE.

MEDIA RESOURCES

*Photos are available at photos.paralympic.ca (sign up for an account). Photos are free for editorial use with credit to Canadian Paralympic Committee. 

*To access ALL flash quotes, please click here.  

*To access athlete bios and the complete Canadian Parapan Am Team list, please click here.

*Video highlights, broadcast b-roll, and interview footage are available upon request at [email protected].

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About the Canadian Parapan Am Team: Canada is represented by 151 athletes competing in 13 sports at the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games, taking place August 23 to September 1. 

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca  

[LINK] LIST OF MEDIA ATTACHÉS BY SPORT
For interview requests with the athletes during the Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games, please contact the specific sport media attaché. 

SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (Sponsorships)