BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — Canadians continue to rack up medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Three Canadians were golden on Monday, as part of a 13-medal performance. Maude Charron of Sainte-Luce, Que., won the women's 64-kilogram weightlifting event to set a Commonwealth Games record.
Judoka Christa Deguchi won in the women's 57-kilogram event and swimmer Summer McIntosh of Toronto was atop the podium in the women's 200-metre individual medley.
Charron lifted 101 kilograms in the snatch and then 130 in the clean and jerk. The 29-year-old was at the top of the rankings in each section, finishing 15 kilograms ahead of the next-best overall score.
Charron said that she felt a lot of pressure to perform at the Commonwealth Games after winning gold in the event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and in the 63-kilogram class at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
"I'm trying to separate my pressure from the pressure that people to put on me," she said. "'I'm just trying to put what I did in the past behind me and looking for what I have to do in my own work.
"I have three snaps to do, three clean and jerks to do, and that's all I need to focus on."
Australia's Sarah Cochrane earned silver behind Charron with a total weight of 216 kilograms and Islamiyat Yusuf of Nigeria was third with 212.
Charron was not the only Canadian weightlifter to medal on Monday, with Alexis Ashworth of Oungre, Sask., earning silver in the women's 71-kilogram class and Nicolas Vachon of Saint-Hippolyte, Que., taking bronze in the men's 81 kilogram.
Deguchi, who was born in Nagano, Japan, but represents Canada in international competition, bested England's Acelya Toprak in their final, with Scotland's Malin Wilson and Christianne Legentil of Mauritius splitting bronze.
Kelly Deguchi, Christa's sister, earned silver in a loss to Australia's Tinka Easton in the women's 52-kilogram judo final. South Africa's Charne Griesel and Northern Ireland's Yasmin Javadian split bronze.
"I think this is my first time being on a podium the same day as my sister, so this was so exciting today," said Christa Deguchi.
Australia's Kaylee McKeown took silver behind the 15-year-old McIntosh, with England's Abbie Wood taking third.
McIntosh won Canada's first gold medal of the Games on Friday in the women's 400 individual medley. The 15-year-old is coming off a breakout performance earlier this year at the world aquatics championships that saw her win four medals, including two gold.
‘’I didn’t know what to expect because the 200 IM is more of a sprinting event for me,’’ said McIntosh. ‘’I was happy with how I raced and my time. The only pressure I feel is what I put on myself. The only thing that matters is my expectations.’’
Kylie Masse of Windsor, Ont., added to Canada's medal total on Monday with a silver in the women's 200-metre backstroke, finishing behind McKeown and ahead of Scotland's Katie Shanahan.
Toronto's Javi Acevedo earned bronze in the men's 50-metre backstroke, placing behind winner Andrew Jeffcoat of New Zealand and South Africa's Pieter Coetze.
‘’I’m so happy to finally break a barrier,’’ said Acevedo, who lowered his five-year-old Canadian record by posting a time of 24.97. ‘’I’ve wanted to go a best time in this event for awhile. Winning a medal is just icing on the cake for me.’’
Four gymnasts reached the podium for Canada, starting with Felix Dolci of Laval, Que., taking silver in the men's floor event for his second medal of the Commonwealth Games.
Laurie Denommee of Saint-Eustache, Que., earned silver in the women's vault, Jayson Rampersad of Mississauga, Ont., took bronze in men's pommel horse, and Vancouver's Chris Kaji won bronze in men's rings.
Cyclists added two bronze medals for Canada with Maggie Coles-Lyster of Maple Ridge, B.C., climbing the podium in the 10-kilometre and Kelsey Mitchell of Sherwood Park, Alta., medalled in the women's Keirin.
Canada is fifth in the medal standings with four gold, eight silver, and 14 bronze.
Vachon lifted a total of 320 kilograms, behind England's Chris Murray (325) and Australia's Kyle Bruce (323).
Dolci, from Laval, Que., won his silver with a score of 14.166 points, finishing behind winner Jake Jarman of England (14.666). Giarnni Regini-Moran of England claimed bronze with 13.966 points.
"I'm feeling really, really proud, really blessed, happy to have good results for the country," said Dolci. "Silver's a really good accomplishment. Obviously, we're always striving for the gold but, I mean, my friend Jake did a brilliant performance so he totally deserve it."
Dolci earned his first medal of the Games on the opening day of competition when he helped Canada to a second-place finish in the men's team final.
Denommee was right behind Georgia Godwin with identical 13.233 scores in the vault, with the edge going to the Australian based on difficulty. Scotland's Shannon Archer (13.083) took bronze.
Rampersad's 14.000 scored came behind England's Joe Fraser (14.833) and Northern Ireland's Rhys Mc Clenaghan (14.133).
Kaji was third on podium with 14.266 in the men's rings final, with England's Courtney Tulloch (14.400) winning gold and Cypress's Sokratis Pilakouris (14.300) earning silver.
Coles-Lyster finished behind England's Laura Kenny and New Zealand's Michaela Drummond respectively in the women's 10-kilometre scratch race.
Mitchell rounded out the podium of the Keirin, with New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews winning gold and England's Sophie Capewell earning silver. It was Mitchell's fourth medal of the games after picking up silver in three previous track cycling events.
Canada will be guaranteed two medals in 3x3 wheelchair basketball.
The women advanced to Tuesday's final against Australia with a 12-5 semifinal win over Scotland. Elodie Tessier and Kady Dandeneau had five points apiece for Canada.
The men will also face Australia for gold Tuesday after a 14-9 win over Malaysia. Colin Higgins poured in 11 points for Canada.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2022.
The Canadian Press
