Ellie Black becomes Canada's most decorated Pan Am gymnast
23-year-old surpasses Canadian record with 9th career medal
Ellie Black became Canada's most decorated Pan American gymnast on Tuesday after winning gold in the women's vault competition and following with a bronze in uneven bars.
The results gave the Halifax native nine medals (five gold, two silver, two bronze) over her career, eclipsing the previous Canadian record of eight held by Willie Weiler. The five gold medals are also a Canadian Pan Am record.
Black has four medals in Lima after she successfully defended her women's all-around Pan Am title on Monday. She has a chance to add to her haul in Wednesday's beam and floor competitions. Black won gold in both events at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games.
"Today was awesome. I was really happy to be out there with my teammates Shallon [Olsen] on vault and Brooklyn [Moors] on uneven bars," Black said. "We wanted to deliver some strong performances and we were able to do that. It is awesome to bring some more medals home for Canada."
WATCH | Ellie Black continues successful run at Pan Am Games:
On Tuesday, Black scored 14.450 points on the vault to finish ahead of Cuba's Yesenia Ferrera (14.391). Olsen of Surrey, B.C., was third with 14.183.
Riley McCusker won the women's uneven bars with 14.533 points, ahead of fellow American Leanne Wong (14.300) and Black (14.000). Moors, of Cambridge, Ont., was sixth.
Zachary Clay of Chilliwack, B.C., and Justin Karstadt of Toronto were sixth and seventh in the men's pommel horse, while Rene Cournoyer of Repentigny, Que., was sixth in the men's rings.
WATCH | Shallon Olsen captures bronze:
Meanwhile, Canadian kayakers also had a big day with two gold medals and a silver.
Andreanne Langlois of Lac-Beauport, Que., and Alana Bray-Lougheed of Oakville, Ont., combined for gold in the women's K-2 500-metres while Dominik Crete of Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Que., won the men's K-1 200 metres. Langlois added a silver in the K-1 12-hundred.
WATCH | Canada takes gold in K-2 500:
Langlois leaves South America with four medals (two gold, two silver).
"I'm really happy with a lot of my races," she said. "It was a really big challenge to do as many races as that, but that was the challenge that I wanted to make so it was good to try. I learned a lot. Even if I've been paddling for 20 years, I still learn."
WATCH | Crete reaches top of podium in K-1 200:
With a gold medal at his first Pam Am Games under his belt, Crete was turning his focus to the Tokyo Olympics.
"I've only been paddling since 2015 so it's only my fourth year paddling. For sure it will help me to keep on focusing on Tokyo 2020," he said. "Having won the continental [championship] gives us a good idea of how strong we are going to be for next year."
Anna Roy-Cyr of Lac-Beauport finished fifth in the women's C1 200m
Water skiing gold
Dorien Llewellyn of Innisfail, Alta., won gold in the men's overall event with a total score of 2,885.50 points.
Whitney McClintock-Rini of Cambridge, Ont., took silver in the women's overall event, while Paige Rini of Kingston, Ont., grabbed bronze.
Canada falls in beach volleyball
Argentina defeated Aaron Nusbaum of Aurora, Ont., and Michael Plantinga of Langley, B.C., 2-0 in the men's bronze-medal match.