Canada's El Nahas, Gauthier-Drapeau top podium at Pan Am-Oceania Judo Championships
CBC Sports | Posted: September 17, 2023 2:40 AM | Last Updated: September 17, 2023
Canada finishes 2-day event in Calgary with 8 medals, including 4 gold
Canada continued its impressive showing at the Pan American-Oceania Judo Championships in Calgary on Saturday with another four-medal day to close out the event, highlighted by two more gold performances.
Shady El Nahas and François Gauthier-Drapeau both topped the podium, while Louis Krieber-Gagnon added silver and Marc Deschenes battled to bronze at Canada Olympic Park.
Gauthier-Drapeau, ranked sixth in the world, dethroned two-time defending champion Guilherme Schimidt of Brazil in the men's under-81 kilogram final. The 25-year-old from Alma, Que., advanced to the final with a win over Medickson Del Orbe Cortorreal of the Dominican Republic.
WATCH | Gauthier-Drapeau captures gold in Calgary:
Toronto's El Nahas successfully defended his Pan American Championship title in the men's under-100 kg division by beating Brazil's Leonardo Goncalves by ippon. El Nahas, who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, also won by ippon in the semis against Goncalves's teammate Rafael Buzacarini.
Fellow Torontonian Kyle Reyes fell short of the podium in the same division, falling to reigning Pan Am Games champion Thomas Briceño of Chile in the repechage. Reyes, 29, won gold at the Pan American Championships in 2021.
WATCH | El Nahas repeats as champion:
Montreal's Krieber-Gagnon made it to the final in the men's under-90 kg competition but lost by ippon to decorated Brazilian Rafael Macedo. Krieber-Gagnon, 27, defeated Colombia's Daniel Astharsheran Paz Albarracin in the semifinals.
WATCH | Krieber-Gagnon falls to Macedo in final:
Laval, Que., native Marc Deschènes, 30, bounced back from a semifinal loss to claim the men's +100 kg bronze medal, beating Cuba's Omar Cruz Leon by ippon in the repechage. The reigning Commonwealth Games champion opened the day with a quarterfinal win over Ecuador's Freddy Figueroa.
WATCH | Deschènes wins bronze:
The two-day event is part of the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Brazil topped the medal standings in Calgary with 15, including six gold. Canada's eight-medal haul was good for second place, with Christa Deguchi and Julien Frascadore also capturing gold.