Shot put athlete wins Nova Scotia's 1st Canada Games gold

Sarah Mitton's goal had been to throw a personal best at the Canada Games but she says she was happy to settle for gold in shot put. 

"This is amazing," the 21-year-old of Brooklyn, N.S., said Thursday evening from Winnipeg. 

Mitton captured Team Nova Scotia's first gold medal of the games when she threw 15.61 metres. 

She was ranked first heading into the competition and second going into the final. 

"There are a few girls who I knew if they performed to their best had the potential to come up and take that, my medal hopes away. But I was able to pull out a good enough throw to avoid that, I can't complain," she said with a laugh. 

Another Nova Scotia athlete, Taylor Stutely, placed eighth in the same event. 

'Crazy' amount of support

Having Mitton's coach from home, Tammy Gaudet, cheering from the stands was "added motivation," she said.

"It's crazy the amount of support we have … everyone is out cheering."

This summer will be the first and final time Mitton dons a Team Nova Scotia jersey at the games. She moved to Toronto to train this summer and will return to the University of Windsor this fall to compete at the varsity level while she completes her biology degree. 

Mitton was Nova Scotia's Junior Female Athlete of the Year in 2014 and she placed second earlier this year in shot put at the Canadian University National Championships. 

Good day for Team Nova Scotia

Thursday was a big day for athletes from across the province. As of 10 p.m. AT on Aug. 3, Team Nova Scotia had six medals. 

• Full coverage of the 2017 Canada Summer Games

Ben Brown won two silver medals in men's wheelchair, one in the 400 metres and the other in 1,500 metres.

Donald Peters of Dartmouth won a bronze medal in men's Special Olympics sprint. 

The women's soccer team captured bronze, defeating Alberta 1-0.