Team Canada achieved an astounding level of success in Santiago, Chile at the 2023 Pan American Games.
The red and white captured 164 medals – 46 gold, 55 silver and 63 bronze – which ranked third among all 41 participating nations in total medals, only behind the United States (286) and Brazil (205). Canada’s success at these Games extended beyond the medal table, as 12 Canadian athletes and teams booked their tickets to Paris for the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Boxing – Tammara Thibeault
Tammara Thibeault, a 26-year-old boxer from Quebec, won her first career Pan American Games gold medal in Santiago when she defeated Panamanian Atheyna Bylon in the women’s 75kg final. The now two-time Pan American medalist, after achieving a silver at the 2019 Pan Am Games, will compete in her second Olympic Games this summer after a heartbreaking fifth-place finish in Tokyo two years ago.
Boxing – Wyatt Sanford
Wyatt Sanford got an early birthday present when he punched his ticket to Paris after defeating Mexico’s Miguel Martinez to claim the gold a week before his 25th birthday. The Kennetcook, N.S.-native will also be competing in his second Olympic Games in just over eight months and will be looking to avenge the Round of 32 loss that eliminated him from medal contention at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Breaking – Philip Kim
Philip Kim will be representing Canada in the inaugural breaking competition when the sport makes its Olympic debut in Paris. The 26-year-old, known as “B-Boy Phil Wizard”, impressed the judges at the competition to secure his second gold medal of the year, after a first-place finish in May at the World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) Pan American Championships.
Equestrian – Dressage
The Canadian dressage team earned a quota spot for Canada at next summer’s Olympics by finishing in third place in the competition with 431.937 points, behind the Brazilian (443.343) and American (450.670) teams. The bronze medal was captured by Beatrice Boucher, Camille Carier Bergon, Mathilde Blais Tetreault and Naima Moreira Laliberte.
Equestrian – Eventing
The Canadian eventing team of Collen Loach, Karl Slezak, Lindsay Trainsel and Michael Winter secured a quota spot for Canada in the equestrian discipline after finishing in first place in Santiago, narrowly beating the United States squad. Equestrian Canada will announce next year which three riders and an alternate will be representing Canada on the world’s biggest stage in Paris.
Equestrian – Jumping
The Canadian jumping team earned Canada a spot in their third equestrian competition in Paris placing second in the team jumping competition. The tetrad of Mario Deslauriers, Tiffany Foster, Amy Millar and Beth Underhill earned the silver medal and are awaiting the confirmation of Equestrian Canada’s squad at the Summer Games.
Sailing – Women’s 49erFX
Canada’s women’s 49erFX duo Mariah Millen and Alexandra ten Hove earned Canada’s first of three sailing quota spots in Santiago with a second-place finish. The pair finished the competition with 30 points, two behind Brazil’s total of 28, as the lower score ranks higher.
Sailing – Men’s 49er
Dyad Justin Barnes and William Jones won the bronze medal in the men’s 49er competition with 51 points, behind silver-medalists Uruguay (42) and gold-medalists United States (33). The pair earned the quota spot for Canada, and it is still to be determined if Barnes and Jones will be sailing in the Mediterranean this July in the Olympics.
Sailing – Women’s laser radial
Sarah Douglas won her second Pan Am Games medal, a silver, in the women’s laser radial competition to secure a quota spot for Canada in the event. The Toronto-native finished in sixth place in the event at the 2020 Olympics, the best result a female Canadian has ever achieved in an individual sailing event. She is hoping to exceed that performance if she gets the chance to compete in Paris. Douglas can qualify herself for the Olympics with impressive showings at the 2024 World Championships and the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta next year.
Shooting – Men’s 10-metre air pistol
Canada booked a quota spot in the men’s 10-metre air pistol event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking the first time Canada will be sending a male pistol shooter to the Olympics since the 1992 Games in Barcelona. Tugrul Ozer earned Canada’s Olympic berth by setting a Pan Am Games record of 240.5 to win the gold. However, Ozer still needs to qualify for the Games through Shooting Canada’s qualification event, but the four-time Canadian pistol champion is likely to do so.
Shooting – Women’s 50-metre rifle three positions
Canada also booked a quota spot in the women’s 50-metre rifle three positions event at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Shannon Westlake secured Canada’s berth through a bronze medal performance, but like Ozer, she too needs to individually qualify for the competition.
Surfing – Sanoa Dempfle-Olin
Sanoa Dempfle-Olin will be riding the wave all the way to Paris as Canada’s first Olympic surfer. The 18-year-old finished second in the women’s shortboard competition, becoming the second Dempfle-Olin to win a Pan Am Games medal after her sister, Mathea, won a bronze in longboard at the 2019 Games.
For more information on Canada’s qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, visit the Team Canada Qualification Tracker.
