Canadians bring home 52 medals from the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
The Santiago 2023 Parapan Am Games concluded on Sunday, November 26, 2023, with Canada’s Para cyclists winning two more medals to bring Team Canada’s medal count up to 52 (9 gold, 15 silver, and 28 bronze), cementing Canada in sixth place overall in the total medal standings. Para cyclists accounted for 12 of Canada’s medals.
On the final day, Alexandre Hayward of Quispamsis, New Brunswick, road to a silver medal in the men’s C1-3 road race, adding to the two gold and one bronze he won earlier in games. Alex led all Canadians with his four medals. Meanwhile, Nathan Clement of West Vancouver captured the bronze medal in the mixed T1-2 road race, his second medal of the games. Nathan also won gold in the mixed T1-2 road time trial during the first week of the competition.
BC’s other star Para cyclist at the games, Mel Pemble of Victoria, BC, also came away as a multi-medalist for Canada with a silver medal in the women’s C1-5 Individual Time Trial and a new Parapan Am record-breaking time of 4:10.103 to win gold in the women’s C1-3 3000m Individual Pursuit on the track.
“I wasn’t super happy with my time there [in qualifying], I knew I had more in me,” said Pemble, in an interview after her golden performance. “It made the battle all the sweeter in the final, in terms of being in second place with nothing to lose. Everything went well and I tried to kick it up a notch in the last kilometre and it paid off.”
Watch: Victoria’s Mel Pemble Captures 3,000m C1-3 individual pursuit Parapan Am title
A total of 135 athletes competed for Canada across 14 different sports at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games from November 17-26.
Cycling BC congratulates all the athletes, coaches, and supporting staff who put in so much work and dedication to represent Canada to the fullest at the games.
TEAM CANADA’S OVERALL MEDAL COUNT:
GOLD – 9
SILVER – 15
BRONZE – 28
TOTAL – 52