October 17, 2023
After months of announcements, the action of Santiago 2023 Pan American Games will officially commence with the Opening Ceremonies on Oct. 20.
Fourteen athletes, one coach and four mission and support staff and one official with ties to Saskatchewan will travel to Chile as part of Team Canada. There are 473 athletes set to represent Canada in the Games, spanning 47 teams and many of the athletes will be working to qualify themselves and/or Canada for a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics
Here’s more on the athletes, coach and mission/support staff with ties to Saskatchewan:
Tristian Moran, Archery, Individual Compound Bow
Moran is making his debut at the Games but is familiar with achieving success in international competition. Attending from Prince Albert, he is bringing a quiver of ability which brought him a medal at the 2017 Youth World Championships.
Moran is set to compete in the four-person compound squad.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Men’s Team Compound Ranking Round | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | 14:00 – 16:00 | 6th – 1389 points |
| Men’s Individual Compound Ranking Round | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | 14:00 – 16:00 | 16th – 689 points |
| Men’s Team Compound Quarterfinals | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 1:20 p.m. | 16:20 | El Salvador def. Canada 158-153 |
| Men’s Individual Compound 1/8 Elimination Round | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 6:56 a.m. – 7:52 a.m. | 9:56 – 10:52 | Kris Schaff (USA) def. Tristan Moran 149-148 |
Blaire McDowell, Women’s Water Polo
McDowell, who is from Regina is a familiar face for Team Canada, recently competing at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, where the team finished seventh. They’ll look to upgrade that standing at the Games with a spot on the podium.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Preliminary vs. Argentina | Monday, Oct. 30 | 8:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. | 11:00 – 12:20 | W 14-9 |
| Preliminary vs. Cuba | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 5:00 a.m. – 6:20 a.m. | 8:00 – 9:20 | W 24-3 |
| Preliminary vs. Mexico | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 5:00 a.m. – 6:20 a.m. | 8:00 – 9:20 | W 32-7 |
| Quarterfinal vs. Chile | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 8:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. | 11:00 – 12:20 | W 33-2 |
| Semifinal vs. Brazil | Friday, Nov. 3 | 9:30 a.m. | 12:30 | W 21-4 |
| Gold Medal Final vs. United States | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 9:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. | 12:30 – 13:50 | L 20-11 Claimed silver medal |
Brody McKnight, Men’s Water Polo
Regina product McKnight is coming in fresh after representing Canada at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan. He has returned from back-to-back seasons of playing professionally in France and Croatia earlier this year and spent his summer training in Montreal.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Preliminary vs. Chile | Monday, Oct. 30 | 4:30 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. | 19:30 – 20:50 | W 28-4 |
| Preliminary vs. Cub | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 1:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. | 13:30 – 14:50 | W 24-6 |
| Preliminary vs. Argentina | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 1:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. | 13:30 – 14:50 | W 14-7 |
| Quarterfinal vs. Mexico | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 4:30 p.m. – 5:50 p.m. | 19:30 – 20:50 | W 20-5 |
| Semifinals vs. Brazil | Friday, Nov. 3 | 3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. | 18:00 – 19:20 | L 13-12 |
| Bronze Medal vs. Argentina | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 4:00 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. | 16:00 – 17:20 | L 12-10 |
Carissa Norsten, Women’s Rugby 7s
Norsten, who hails from Waldheim, is a recent Canada West First Team All-Star and two-time Dream Team honouree, titles earned at the Edmonton and Vancouver stops this season. She has competed in four different competitions in 2023 and is making her Team Canada debut at the Games.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Preliminary vs. Chile | Friday, Nov. 3 | 8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. | 11:15 – 11:40 | W 36-0 |
| Preliminary vs. Mexico | Friday, Nov. 3 | 12:50 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. | 15:50 – 16:15 | W 69-0 |
| Preliminary vs. Brazil | Friday, Nov. 3 | 4:10 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. | 19:10 – 19:35 | W 29-21 |
| Semifinals vs. Colombia | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 8:40 a.m. | 11:40 | W 45-14 |
| Gold Medal vs. United States | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 2:40 p.m. | 17:40 | L 19-12 Claimed silver medal |
Richard McBride, Skeet Shooting
Three-time Canadian Olympic-style skeet shooting champion and 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, McBride, is making yet another appearance at the Pan American Games appearance since first representing Canada in 2007 . The Saskatoon product will carry his prior success into this competition.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Qualification Round 1 | Saturday, Oct. 21 | 6:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | 9:00 – 11:30 | 15th – 68 points |
| Qualification Round 2 | Sunday, Oct. 22 | 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 – 12:00 | 23rd – 42 points |
| Finished 20th overall, did not qualify for finals |
Ashley Leugner, Wakeboard
After an injury halted her wakeboard career in 2016, Leugner is set to make a comeback appearing in her first-ever Pan American Games. The Fort Qu’Appelle local is a seven-time National Champion, World Championship silver medallist, Bronze World Cup finisher.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Semifinal | Saturday, Oct. 21 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | 13:30 – 15:30 | Scored 58.33 points, Sent to LC qualifier |
| Last Chance Qualifier | Sunday, Oct. 22 | 12:40 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | 15:40 – 16:30 | Scored 75.00 points, Qualified for final |
| Final | Monday, Oct. 23 | 1:10 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | 16:10 – 16:45 | Scored 40.00 points, Finished fifth overall |
Tammara Thibeault, Boxing, 75-kilogram
Thibeault made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and excelled to match Canada’s best-ever Olympic result in any women’s boxing event. The Regina boxer will be making her second appearance at Pan American Games, last attending in Lima where she captured a bronze medal that was later upgraded to a silver.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Preliminary Round | Friday, Oct. 20 | 8:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | 11:15 – 13:15 | def. Milena Jimenez Castillo |
| Quarterfinals | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 9:15 a.m. | 12:15 | def. Maryelis Yriza Burguillos |
| Semifinal | Thursday, Oct. 26 | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 | def. Citlalli Vanessa Ortiz |
| Final | Friday, Oct. 27 | 9:45 am. – 10:00 a.m. | 12:45 – 13:00 | def. Atheyna Bibeichi Bylon claimed gold medal |
Kenzie Priddell & Sydney Carroll, Artistic Swimming
After attending the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as an alternate, Priddell will once again be leaving her hometown Regina to represent Canada once more at the Pan American Games. She is recently back from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Saskatoon’s Carroll will be making her first Pan American Games appearance alongside Priddell. She has spent her summer training in Montreal and has recently returned from the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Team Mixed – Technical Routine | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | 21:00 – 22:00 | 3rd – 233.2679 points |
| Team Mixed – Free Routine | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | 21:00 – 22:00 | 3rd – 230.1042 points |
| Team Mixed – Acrobatic Routine | Friday, Nov. 3 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | 13:00 – 14:00 | 3rd – 198.6800 points |
| Finished third overall Claimed bronze medal |
Rylan Wiens, Diving, Men’s 10-metre synchronized
2020 Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Wiens will be attending his first Pan American Games in the men’s 10-metre platform event. The Pike Lake diver is no stranger to the world stage and will aim to use his attendance of the Games to qualify for his second Olympics in Paris 2024.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Results |
| Final Round | Sunday, Oct. 22 | 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. | 19:00 – 20:15 | Earned 404.04 points, Claimed silver medal |
Fynn Mansbridge-Fafard, Fencing, Men’s Team Epee
Originally born in Lumsden, Fafard is making his Pan American Games debut. He made his first international appearance at the 2022 World Fencing Championships in Cairo, Egypt.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Results |
| Quarterfinal | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. | 9:00-10:00 | Canada def. Cuba 45-41 |
| Semifinal | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. | 11:30 -12:30 | Canada def. Argentina 45-30 |
| Gold Medal (TBD) | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | 17:00 – 18:00 | Canada def. by United States 42-41 Claimed silver medal |
Nikole Todd, Squash, Women’s Doubles & Team
Todd made her first major debut at the 2015 Olympics in Toronto. The Regina-born squash player will be attending her second Pan Am Games after claiming silver with her team at the 2014 Games. She won bronze at the 2013 Canadian Championships and will aim for the podium once more in Chile.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Women’s Doubles Quarterfinal | Thursday, Nov. 2 | 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | 10:30 – 12:00 | Canada def. by Colombia 2-1 Ranked 5th |
| Women’s Team Quarterfinals | Friday, Nov. 3 | 7:00 a.m. | 10:00 | Canada def. Ecuador 3-0 |
| Women’s Team Semifinals | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 9:15 a.m. | 12:15 | Canada def. Colombia 3-0 |
| Women’s Team Final | Sunday, Nov. 5 | 7:00 a.m. | 10:00 | Canada def. by United States 2-0 Claimed silver medal |
Blake Tierney, Swimming
Saskatoon product, Tierney made his international debut at the World Aquatics World Cup in 2022 and was a finalist in the 100-m backstroke. He is fresh off a second-place finish at the 2023 Canadian Swimming Trials and will be able to bring that competitive spirit to his first attendance of a Pan American Games.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heat | Saturday, Oct. 21 | 07:24 a.m. | 10:24 | Time 3:20.33 Advanced Canada to final |
| Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final | N/A | N/A | N/A | Blake did not race with Canada in the final, but the team (and Blake) earned a bronze medal |
| 100m Backstroke Heat | Monday, Oct. 23 | 6:57 a.m. | 9:57 | Time 54.68 seconds Qualified for final |
| 100m Backstroke Final | Monday, Oct. 23 | 2:15 p.m. | 15:15 | Time 54.25 seconds Claimed bronze medal |
| Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Heat | Monday, Oct. 23 | 7:45 a.m. | 10:45 | Time 3:53.39 Advanced Canada to final |
| Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final | N/A | N/A | N/A | Blake did not race with Canada in the final, but the team (and Blake) earned a silver medal |
| Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Heat | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 8:08 a.m. | 11:08 | Time 7:25.45 Advanced Canada to final |
| Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | N/A | N/A | Blake did not race with Canada in the final, but the team (and Blake) earned a bronze medal |
| Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final | Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 2:57 p.m. | 18:57 | Time 3:35.72 Claimed bronze medal |
Kelsey Wog, Swimming
Originally from Regina, Wog is no stranger to major competitions and attended the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and qualified for semifinals in the 200-m breaststroke. She has a history of collecting medals at world events, taking bronze at the Swimming World Cup in 2022.
| Round | Date | Sask. Time | Chile Time | Result |
| 200m Breaststroke Heat | Monday, Oct. 23 | 6:24 a.m. | 9:24 | Time 2:25.96 Qualified for final |
| 200m Breaststroke Final | Monday, Oct. 23 | 1:25 p.m. | 16:25 | Time 2:23.49 Claimed silver medal |
Coaches
Lisa Borgerson, Coach – Shooting
Attending from Fort Qu’Appelle, Borgerson has coached athletes through two Olympic Games and will be able to bring her arsenal of guidance to the Santiago Games as coach of Canada’s shooting team. Canada will compete in the rifle, pistol and shotgun categories.
Mission and Support Staff
Jan Hanson, Mission Staff, Media Attache – Racquetball
Hanson resides in Saskatoon and has various skills in communications and media relations which will be an asset when attending the Pan Am Games as mission staff. She was recently appointed to the Racquetball Canada Communications and Safe Sport position in 2020.
Lisa Hoffart, Mission Staff, Mental Health Lead – Team Canada
As a registered psychologist, mental performance consultant and Game Plan advisor, Hoffart, who hails from Regina, will be assisting the entire Team Canada delegation ahead of and throughout the Pan American Games.
Graham Olson, Support Staff – Race Analysis
The Saskatoon product has a background in swimming and will be attending the Pan Am Games for a second time, first appearing at the Toronto 2015 Games as the Sport Technologist.
Monty Churchman – Mission Staff, Health Services – Team Canada
The Saskatoon massage therapist will be travelling to Chile to assist the Canadian athletes.
Officials
Kristine Lovatt – Official – Women’s Rugby 7s
As a player turned official, Wilcox’s Lovatt will bring her her year’s of experience in both roles to Santiago while she officiates women’s rugby 7s.
Don’t miss a second of the action! CBCSports.ca, the free CBC Gem streaming app, the CBC Sports app and CBC TV broadcasting will provide live coverage of the Games from Santiago.