With her top competitor out of the competition, Canada's Sarah Mitton is now the frontrunner to win gold in the women's shot put event on Friday. (Ashley Landis/The Associated Press)
Canada had a remarkable day at the Paris Olympics, securing three medals and boosting their total count to 21. Weightlifter Maude Charron, the Canadian flag bearer, took home a silver medal, while Skylar Park claimed a bronze in taekwondo. Meanwhile, beach volleyball duo Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson secured at least a silver by advancing to the final, ensuring their place in the history books as the first Canadian women's beach volleyball team to medal.
With three days left in the Games, Canada is now eyeing its record for the most gold medals (seven) and total medals (24) at a non-boycotted Summer Olympics. The country currently boasts six gold, five silver, and 10 bronze medals.
Looking ahead, the final days of the Olympics promise even more excitement for Canadian fans. On Friday, Canada’s shot put star Sarah Mitton will compete for a gold medal. Mitton, a silver medalist at the 2023 World Championships, made a strong start by easily qualifying for the final with the farthest throw in the preliminary round. She is now the favourite to win, especially after her main rival, American Chase Jackson, shockingly failed to qualify for the final.
In addition to Mitton, Canada's canoe team, led by Katie Vincent and Sloan MacKenzie, will also be in action. The duo advanced directly to the semifinals after winning their heat in an Olympic-best time and are strong contenders for gold in the women’s double event.
However, not all Canadian athletes have had smooth sailing in Paris. Track and field star Andre De Grasse, one of Canada's most decorated Olympians, has struggled to find his form. De Grasse, who won gold in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics, failed to qualify for the 100m and 200m finals this time around. Despite his recent setbacks, De Grasse will anchor Canada’s 4x100m relay team in the final, although their chances of medaling seem slim after a close call in the heats. The United States, with a star-studded lineup, is the favourite to win gold in this event.
The Canadian women's 4x100m relay team also made it to the final, thanks to a strong anchor leg by Audrey Leduc that secured them a spot with a national record time. However, like their male counterparts, the women face tough competition, with the U.S. team looking particularly strong.
Beyond the track and field events, Canadian athletes will also be competing in the women's 4x400m relay heats and the men's 800m semifinals. Marco Arop, the reigning world champion in the 800m, is expected to advance to the final, which promises to be one of the most competitive races of the Games.
Elsewhere, the U.S. men's basketball team narrowly avoided an upset by Serbia, setting up a gold-medal rematch with France, while American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shattered the world record in the women's 400m hurdles, finishing in an astonishing 50.37 seconds.
Friday will also see Canada’s beach volleyball team go for gold against Brazil's top-ranked pair, and the women's canoe double finals where Vincent and MacKenzie will compete.
