TORONTO, CANADA – Canadian athletes are doing incredible things in Tokyo, and Canadian sports fans are pushing their limits as well.
While Canada’s Olympians embody the Olympic ideals of faster, higher, stronger, together, Canadian fans are seemingly adding “sleepier” to the mix. The events in Tokyo begin at 5:30 pm in Toronto, and often run until 10:00 am. However, all through the night, Canadian fans are active on social media, cheering on athletes in every sport.
Judo at 4:30 am ET? You betcha; Canada’s fans are active, awake and proud from coast to coast to coast.
Canadian Olympians in Japan are having tremendous success, and current, former and incoming Canadian university student-athletes make up most of Team Canada. Nearly a third of the Canadian delegation is directly connected to U SPORTS.
Here’s your update from Day 4 in Tokyo.
Masse wins silver
University of Toronto Varsity Blues alumna Kylie Masse won a bronze medal in the women’s 100m backstroke five years ago in Rio. On Day 4 in Tokyo, she changed the medal’s colour, winning a silver medal in the same event.
She swam under the Olympic Record time; however, so did gold medal winner Kaylee McKeown of Australia. “It was an incredibly challenging, talented field of athletes who have been swimming crazy times all year, so I knew it was going to be a battle. I am proud to get on the podium tonight,” said Masse after her race.
This is the second swimming medal earned in part by U SPORTS athletes. The Canadian 4×100m women’s relay team took silver on Sunday morning with UBC’s Kayla Sanchez and U of T/Calgary’s Rebecca Smith.
Masse is not done in Tokyo. She will likely race in the women’s 4×100m medley relay event Friday.
Beach Voleyball wins
The Canadian duo of Heather Bansley (U of T) and Brandie Wilkerson (York) picked up their first win of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament. They took down the Argentine pair Ana Gallay and Fernanda in straight sets (22-20, 21-12) on Tuesday, and improve their tournament record to 1-1.
With the win, the Canadian pair sit second in Pool C, heading into their final match of the preliminary stage. The fellow Canadian team of Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes (York) are 2-0 in the tournament.
Men’s rugby finished, and women’s tournament starting
The Canadian men’s rugby team squeaked into the quarter-finals on Tuesday, thanks to Team Kenya scoring a try against Ireland. Canada finished a disappointing 1-2 in the group stage and pitted themselves against 2019-20 Sevens Series champions New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
New Zealand got out to a fast start and played an up-tempo match that Canada could not compete with, as the Canadians lost 21-10.
UBC Thunderbirds alumnus Harry Jones and UVic graduate Pat Kaye scored Canda’s tries, while another UVic Vike alumnus, Nathan Hirayama, kicked one successful conversion.
Canada will play in a losers bracket, facing the USA in a game that has no effect on medal possibilities.
While the Canadian men are out of their first Olympic rugby tournament, the Canadian women begin theirs on July 28 vs Brazil at 8:30 pm ET. The women won bronze at Rio 2016 and will be looking for more in Tokyo.
Field Hockey fall to the Netherlands
The Canadian men’s field hockey team fell to the Netherlands 4-2 and see their tournament record dip to 0-3. UBC Thunderbird Jamie Wallace brought Canada within a goal at 2-1, but the Canadians could not level the hockey match. With two games remaining, Canada will need some type of miracle to qualify for the knockout stages and a chance at the medals.
UQAM Judo Gold
For the second day in a row, Canadian eyes were fixated on the action at the Nippon Budokan as a Canadian woman fought her way onto the podium. UQAM graduate Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard picked up the bronze medal in the women’s under 63kg event, defeating Venezuela’s Anriquelis Barrios in the bronze medal bout.
Women’s soccer heartbreak
The Canadian women’s national soccer team had to win against Great Britain to win their group in the round-robin stage of the women’s football tournament, and they nearly did it. Canada’s Adriana Leon scored early in the second half to give them the lead, until the 85th minute when Team GB found an equalizer.
With the draw, Canada and University of Manitoba Bison alumna Desiree Scott finish second in their group and set up a quarter-final date with Brazil. Canada has not won in the last four matches against Brazil.
Coming up: Women’s Double Sculls Rowing
The Canadian pair of UBC Thunderbirds alumna Jessica Sevick and McGillian Gabrielle Smith race for gold at 8:18 pm ET at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo.
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That’s all for Day 4. Goodnight from TokyOronto. We’ll see you tomorrow.