Canada's men's sabre team fell in quarter-final action to top-ranked South Korea at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Hungary's Aron Szilagyi, left, and Canada's Fares Arfa compete in the men's individual Sabre round of 32 competition during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais on July 27, 2024, in Paris.Andrew Medichini/The Associated Press
Men’s sabre team falls in quarter-finals
Canada’s men’s sabre team fell 45-33 in quarter-final action to top-ranked South Korea at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Fares Arfa of Laval, Que., was bested by Oh Sang-uk in the first relay, with four touches to his opponent’s five. The pair had earlier squared off in the quarter-finals of the men’s individual sabre tournament, where Arfa was defeated by Oh, the eventual gold medalist. Arfa took the fourth relay in the team event, with seven touches to five by South Korea’s Gu Bongil, and tied 5-5 in the eighth relay against Park Sangwon. Canadian Shaul Gordon won two of his three relays, including a 6-5 win over Oh. South Korea went on to win team gold with a 45-41 win over Hungary in the championship round, while Canada finished eighth after losing 45-43 to the United States in a placement match. Canada, featuring bronze medalist Eleanor Harvey of Hamilton, is considered a medal threat in the women’s team foil competition that gets under way Thursday.
Canada's Tammara Thibeault, left, fights Refugee Olympic Team's Cindy Djankeu in their women's 75 kg preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 31, 2024, in Paris.John Locher/The Associated Press
Tammara Thibeault drops opening bout in Paris
Canada’s Tammara Thibeault has been eliminated from the women’s boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics. Competing in the 75-kilogram weight class, the 27-year-old from Shawinigan, Que. was upset in the Round of 16 by Cindy Ngamba, a Cameroonian boxer fighting for the EOC Refugee Team. Ngamba won by a score of 3-2 from the five judges. Ngamba beat Thibeault 30-27 on one card and 29-28 on two cards, while Thibeault won on the other two cards in the split decision. Ngamba finished strong, claiming the third round on four cards to secure the win. Thibeault had been considered a favourite in Paris, having not lost a fight since her defeat in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics, where she finished fifth, bringing her streak to 25.
Divers Caeli McKay, from Calgary, and Kate Miller, from Ottawa, compete in the women's synchronized 10m platform diving finals on July 31, 2024 in Paris. The pair placed fourth in the event.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canadians fourth in women’s synchronized diving
Canadian divers Caeli McKay and Kate Miller have finished in fourth in women’s 10-metre synchronized platform at the Paris Olympics. Calgary’s McKay and Ottawa’s Miller scored a cumulative 299.22 points over five dives. China’s Chen Yuxi et Quan Hongchan dominated the competition with 359.10 points. The pair from North Korea, Jo Jin Mi and Kim Mi Rae, came in second with 315.90 points. Britain’s Andrea Spendolini Sirieix and Lois Toulson rounded out the podium with 304.38. This was McKay and Miller’s Olympic debuts as a tandem – McKay competed in the Tokyo Olympics with a different partner, also coming in fourth. Saskatoon’s Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray of Pointe-Claire, Que., won bronze in the men’s 10m platform synchro on Monday.
Canada's Paige Crozon is defended by China's Zhang Zhiting in the women's 3x3 basketball pool round match between Canada and China at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Canada won 21-11 on July 31, 2024, in Paris, France.Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press
Canada picks up second win in 3x3 women’s basketball
Canada improved to 2-0 in the Olympic women’s 3x3 basketball tournament with a dominating 21-11 win over China on Wednesday. Paige Crozon, of Humboldt, Sask., and Michelle Plouffe, of Edmonton, paced the Canadian attack with seven points each. Canada shot 7-for-13 from the floor, and 5-for-12 from beyond the arc. In 3x3 basketball, a field goal from beyond the arc is worth two points, while a field goal from inside the arc is worth one. Canada started its campaign on Tuesday with a 22-14 win over Australia.
Felix Dolci, of Canada, reacts after his handgrip broke during the men's artistic gymnastics all-around finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 31, 2024, in Paris, France.Francisco Seco/The Associated Press
Canada’s Dolci gets do over on bar
Canadian gymnast Felix Dolci was allowed to repeat his routine on the horizontal bar in the men’s all-around final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after an equipment malfunction sent him flying in the air. In an unusual turn of events, the 22-year-old’s handgrip broke unexpectedly when he was swinging through a quality routine, causing him to crash hard onto the mat. After being examined by team staff, Dolci walked away from the area, holding his snapped handgrip up to the crowd and showing off his badly bruised hand. He would return a few minutes later after other gymnasts in the rotation had gone for a second take. The incident caused Dolci to drop from third at end of the second rotation to 23rd. Under current rules, a gymnast can get a second try at a routine if it is interrupted for a reason beyond his or her control, including equipment breakage. Dolci, of Laval, Que., finished 20th. Rene Cournoyer, of Repentigny, Que., was 17th.