Canada settles for silver in hard-fought wheelchair rugby final against United States

The United States defeated Canada in the gold medal game at the Parapan Am Games in Santiago, Chile on Thursday night.

It was a bitter 57-51 defeat for Canada, who hadn’t lost a single match going into the title game.

Led by three-time Paralympian Chuck Aoki and the only female member the American team Sarah Adam, who scored a combined 45 tries as the USA overpowered Canada in crucial moments of the game.

The gritty Canadian side must now win a last-chance qualifier in order to book its ticket to Paris in 2024.

More to come.

Canadian women advance to goalball final

Emma Reinke’s hat trick helped Canada to a 4-2 victory over two-time defending champions Brazil in the women’s goalball semifinals Thursday at the Parapan American Games.

“This is amazing, a real moment,” said four-time Paralympian Amy Burk of Charlottetown. “Brazil is a really strong team and we knew to beat them we really were going to have bring our A game.”

The Americans beat Argentina 8-1 in the other semifinal.

In the men’s semifinal, Canada dropped an 11-4 decision to the U.S.

Edmonton’s Blair Nesbitt scored all four Canadian goals.

`’We put everything into the last four years to get a different result,” said Canadian veteran Doug Ripley of Vancouver. `’It’s really heartbreaking.”

Canada will play Argentina for the bronze medal on Friday. The Americans will play Brazil for gold and a berth at the Paralympics.

Earlier Thursday, Canadian wheelchair rugby athlete Eric Rodrigues was elected to the Americas Paralympic Committee (APC) Athletes’ Council.

Canadian Paralympic Committee chief executive officer Karen O’Neill said Rodrigues is a strong leader with a passion for making Para sport the “best and most impactful it can be.”

“We know he will be a very effective ambassador for all Para athletes in the Americas and contribute to advancing Para sport across the region,” O’Neill said in a statement.

“We wish him the best in this new role and look forward to working with him more as an athlete leader.”

Pemble, Hayward score cycling medals

Meanwhile, Victoria’s Mel Pemble captured silver in the women’s C1-5 500-metre individual time trial in track cycling.

Pemble, 23, switched from Para alpine to cycling in 2020 and enjoyed near-immediate success, including a medal of each colour at this year’s world championships.

Her personal-best time of 37.565 seconds left her under a second shy of gold medallist Sabrina Custodia Da Silva of Brazil (36.864) in Santiago.

Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, N.B., added bronze in the men’s C1-5 1,000 individual time trial, stopping the clock in one minute 6.566 seconds.

It marks the 26-year-old’s second medal of these Games after he won gold in a road cycling event.

WATCH | Action from Day 6 in Santiago: