Wodak, Cliff claim gold and bronze in 10,000-metre final at 2019 Pan American Games

By: Jonathan Yue

After a strong start by Evan Dunfee at the 2019 Pan American Games on Sunday, the Canadian athletics team headed to Estadio Atletico where Natasha Wodak and Rachel Cliff took to the track for the women’s 10,000-metre final.

Wodak, who won the Canadian 10K and 10,000-metre titles earlier this year, once again showed that she’s able to run with the best in the world at the Pan American Games, claiming the gold medal in the 10,000-metres with a time of 31:55.17 (a new Games record). Canadian marathon record holder Rachel Cliff came charging in right behind Wodak with a time of 32:13.34 to claim the bronze medal and the final spot on the podium.

For both Wodak and Cliff, this is their first Pan American Games medal and it couldn’t have happened any other way. “This is definitely a special moment. I’ve never won a medal at a Major Games and it feels good,” said Wodak. “My parents are here and I went and saw them, and being 37-years-old and having been doing this for so long, it’s really special.”

“I was coming in as a marathoner, so I had the strength. Overall, I’m happy with how I executed my race; I claimed a place on the podium and got a medal,” added Cliff.

Reigning Pan American Games Champion Damian Warner got his title defence underway in the men’s decathlon competition. This year, he’s joined by rising star Pierce LePage and the two complete a dynamic duo with aspirations of standing on the podium together. After five events, they’ve put themselves in a good position to do just that.

With 4,499 points, Warner leads all competitors. He won the 100-metre race in a time of 10.32 seconds, jumped to a season’s best 7.74 metres in the long jump and completed the 400-metres in 47.77 seconds. LePage, who was right behind the reigning champion throughout the day, wrapped-up Day 1 of the competition with 4,418 points. The 23-year-old finished second in the 100-metre race (10.51 seconds), jumped 7.64 metres in the long jump and ran a season’s best of 47.74 seconds to win the 400-metres. The duo sit atop the leader board heading into the final five events.

“It was a solid performance,” said Warner. “Like every decathlon there were some good, some bad and I’ll come out strong tomorrow. It’s special to be sitting 1-2 with a fellow Canadian. For the longest time, I’ve been going into the competitions as the lone Canadian and now we have a great Canadian decathlete. and I can see this happening at World Championships and Olympics.

“I’m pretty happy, finished day one and ready to go for day 2,” added LePage. “I’m pretty young and getting into the international stage having a veteran as good as Damian leading the way and helping me out as an athlete.”

On the track, Crystal Emmanuel and Leya Buchanan (11.70 seconds) came out of the blocks for the women’s 100-metre semifinals, with Emmanuel qualifying for the final after winning Heat 3 with a time of 11.48 seconds.

After bowing out of the 200-metres last week at the Canadian Track & Field Championships, Emmanuel says she’s taken the time to recover and will be prepared for tomorrow’s final. “I’m healthy,” said Emmanuel. “I just have to come ready for the final, get my execution on point and try to compete.”

On the men’s side, it was Gavin Smellie and Mobolade Ajomale taking to the 100-metre straightaway, coming out with times of 10.43 seconds and 10.54 seconds, respectively, narrowly missing the cut-off time of 10.40 seconds for tomorrow’s final.

In the 400-metre hurdles semifinals, Sage Watson clocked in with a time of 56.37 seconds. Meanwhile, Lindsey Butterworth stopped the clocked at 2:03.82 in the women’s 800-metres. Both women qualified for their respective final. The women’s 800-metres is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, while the 400-metre hurdles will be contested on Thursday.

Joining Butterworth on Wednesday will be Warner and LePage for Day 2 of the decathlon, while Emmanuel takes to the line for the women’s 100-metre final. Phylicia George will hit the track at Estadio Atletico in the women’s 100-metre hurdle semifinals, and Tim Nedow will look to defend and improve his Pan American Games silver medal from 2015 in the men’s shot put.

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Photo by David Jackson/Team Canada

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