Canada’s para athletics team at the Santiago 2023 Parapan America Games wrapped a very successful week, winning medals on every single day of competition, culminating in three more bronze medal performances today.
Sheriauna Haase finished her very busy week of racing in style, securing her second bronze medal of these Games, placing 3rd in the women’s T47 100 metre final, and clocking in with a time of 12.56 seconds. Haase had booked her spot in the final with a time of 12.76 seconds to finish first in her semifinal.
“I was very confident in myself but, now that I have, it feels so good just to even medal. It doesn’t even matter what colour. It just feels so good,” Haase said. “It proves to myself that I deserve to be here. It definitely makes me more hungry to keep working and getting better to keep staying on that podium.”
Tianna Rissling had to wait until late in the last day of track and field at Santiago 2023 before making her Parapan American Games debut, but she made it count with a bronze medal performance in the women’s T38 long jump final, flying to a distance of 4.17 metres.
“It’s pretty freaking exciting. I’ve done multisport Games before, but the medal is a pretty good icing on the cake, Rissling said.
Charlotte Bolton put a bow on her week of throwing with her bronze medal throw of 24.97 metres in the women’s F41 discus final.
“I’m really happy with myself. Coming into this event, I was probably the most prepared I’ve ever been,” Bolton said. As the last member of the team to compete, she had a cheering section of teammates following her every move today. “I could hear them every time, going into the circle. Every single time, I could hear ‘Go Charlotte!’ and that was really nice.
Allister McQueen finished 6th in the men’s F57 javelin throw final, launching a best throw of 37.16 metres.
“My coach and I have been working hard, but there are still a lot of work to do and a lot of things we can improve upon to get me to the next level” McQueen said.
By The Numbers
This team’s 13 medals bested the 7 medals our para athletes won in Lima 2019. Ten athletes (or 63% of the team) won medals. Two more athletes contributed Top-8-and-top-half performances.
In total, the team set 3 national records, with 2 additional personal bests and 2 season’s bests.
The team converted 68% of opportunities to either earn a medal, place in the top 8 or top half of their event, set a personal best, a season’s best or beat their pre-event ranking.
2023 Parapan American Games medallists:
GOLD – Anthony Bouchard, T52 100 metres
SILVER – Jesse Zesseu, F37 Discus
SILVER – Michael Barber, T20 1,500 metres
SILVER – Liam Stanley, T38, 1,500 metres
BRONZE – Anthony Bouchard, T52 400 metres
BRONZE – Noah Vucsics, T20 long jump
BRONZE – Sheriauna Haase, T47 200 metres
BRONZE – Keegan Gaunt, T13 1,500
BRONZE – Renee Foessel, F38 discus
BRONZE – Jesse Zesseu, T37 long jump
BRONZE – Sheriauna Haase, T47 100 metres
BRONZE – Tianna Rissling, T38 long jump
BRONZE – Charlotte Bolton, F41 discus
Other Top 8 / Top half
Natalie Thirsk, T38 400 metres
Natalie Thirsk, T38 100 metres
Isaiah Christophe, T54 100 metres
National Records
Jesse Zesseu, F37 discus, 52.32
Jesse Zesseu, T37 long jump, 5.78m.
Natalie Thirsk, T38 400 metres, 68.22
Other Personal Bests
Anthony Bouchard, T52 400 metres, 63.15.
Anthony Bouchard, T52 100 metres, 17.67
Season’s Bests
David Bambrick, F37 discus, 32.52 metres
Isaiah Christophe, T54 100 metres, 14.69
