Mitton secures shot put gold
Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., successfully defended her women’s shot put title at the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. The 30-year-old athlete achieved a winning throw of 19.88 metres on her fifth attempt, securing the gold medal by a margin of over two metres.
Mitton expressed pride in her achievement, stating that every time she enters the stadium, there is a possibility that things might not go as planned. She emphasized the effort required to realize her dreams and described standing on the podium as a two-time Commonwealth Games champion as a special moment. Nigeria’s Jessica Oji earned the silver medal, while Jamaica’s Lloydricia Cameron took home the bronze, both with throws of 17.87 metres. Oji secured second place due to a better next-best throw of 17.70 metres.
Mitton has previously represented Canada at two Summer Olympics. Her accomplishments also include being a two-time world indoor champion and the 2023 world silver medallist.
Canadian weightlifting and wheelchair basketball success
Earlier on Wednesday, Alex Bellemarre from La Sarre, Que., claimed a silver medal in the men’s 94-kilogram weightlifting category. The 28-year-old set a Commonwealth record with a 159-kilogram snatch, followed by lifting 187 kilograms in the clean and jerk, for a total of 346 kilograms. Malaysia’s Mohamad Syahmi Bin Nor-Ghazali won gold with a total of 347 kilograms, after setting a Games record of 197 kilograms in the clean and jerk. Australia’s Oliver Riley Saxton secured the bronze with 336 kilograms.
Rose Beaudoin of Ste-Marie-Madeleine, Que., added another weightlifting medal for Canada, earning bronze in the women’s 86-kilogram event. Beaudoin lifted 103 kilograms in the snatch and 127 kilograms in the clean and jerk, accumulating a total of 230 kilograms.
Canada’s men’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team also achieved a bronze medal, defeating host Scotland 19-9. Reed De’Aeth led the team with a game-high nine points, along with four rebounds and five assists. Garrett Ostepchuk contributed five points, two rebounds, and three assists. Ostepchuk noted the team’s focus on the moment and their ability to avoid being affected by mistakes, officiating, or their opponents’ actions.
The Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team, however, lost their bronze-medal game to Australia 19-17. In other events, wheelchair racer Nandini Sharma of Brampton, Ont., was disqualified for obstruction in the women’s 1,500-metre T54 final, losing a silver medal despite a season-best time of 3:42.38. An appeal regarding the disqualification was underway, with a decision anticipated late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Swimming near misses and boxing advancements
Following a successful day in the pool, Canada did not secure any medals on the final day of swimming competitions, experiencing multiple near misses. Toronto’s Joshua Liendo, who previously won gold in the men’s 100 butterfly on Sunday, finished fourth in the 50 butterfly, missing a medal by 0.38 seconds with a time of 23.30 seconds.
The women’s 4×100 medley relay team, featuring Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ont., an 11-time Commonwealth medallist, finished just 0.12 seconds off the podium. Canada held the lead after the first two legs and maintained a medal position for most of the race. However, South Africa’s Rebecca Meder overtook Madison Kryger of Niagara, Ont., during the freestyle anchor leg. Australia claimed gold, and Scotland secured silver.
In boxing, Edmonton’s Amber-Jane Wall advanced to the women’s 51kg semifinals with a unanimous 5-0 victory over Niamh Brookes of Wales. Joshua Ofori, also from Edmonton, moved to the men’s 70kg final four via walkover. As of Day 6 of the Games, Canada ranked second in the medal table with 14 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze medals, totalling 39. Australia led with 47 gold medals. Competitions are scheduled to continue through Sunday.
Source: sportsnet.ca
