Olympic recap
The Tokyo Olympics have ended, and University of Victoria Vikes-connected athletes had an outstanding showing, demonstrating what it means to be a Vike.
A highlight of the long-awaited Games was seeing rugby alumnus Nathan Hirayama, captain of the Canadian sevens team, co-carry the Canadian flag into the opening ceremony. Hirayama joins Vikes alum and triathlete Simon Whitfield from London 2012 to become the second Vikes athlete ever to do so. Hirayama will keynote this year's
Vikes Championship Breakfast.
Over 16 days, Canadian athletes won seven gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals, setting a new standard for Canada in a non-boycotted Olympics. The seven gold medals tied the nation's output at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Of the 24 medals, Vikes alumnae brought home two of them.
Avalon Wasteneys won a gold medal in the women's eight, a historic performance taking home the first gold medal in the Olympic women's eight event since 1992.
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Caileigh Filmer brought home a bronze medal in the women's pair event. Battling back from an injury-plagued extended season, the two-time Olympian emptied the tank to bring home a medal in her final race.
Other Vikes highlights include men's rowing alumnus Kai Langerfeld who landed just shy of the podium with a heartbreaking fourth-place finish in the men's pair. Current Vikes rower Patrick Keane rowed the B Final in the men's lightweight double skulls, finishing 10th place overall.
Pamphinette Buisa and the women's rugby sevens team had some hard-fought battles after a difficult couple of seasons. They finished up the Games with a third-place finish in pool B, leaving them ninth place overall. However, the women's rugby team demonstrated that these Olympics represented more than just sport, but using sport to elevate and empower others while bringing representation to traditionally marginalized communities.
Nathan Hirayama, Patrick Kay, Mike Fuailefau and Lucas Hammond showed moments of greatness against a very tough men's rugby sevens field. After battling back to make it there, Canada lost to New Zealand in the quarter-finals; Kay scored the match's only try. They finished seventh place.
Canada's men's field hockey team featuring Vikes alum James Kirkpatrick, Brenden Bisset, Matt Sarmento and Keegan Pereira, faced a difficult pool to kick things off. While battling hard every game, the team came up just short of making the top eight.
New mom and three-time Olympian Catharine Pendrel showed the world what mothers are capable of. Returning to compete at the highest level just six months after giving birth, Pendrel put forth an inspiring performance taking home 18th place in women's cross country mountain biking.
Other University of Victoria alumni making their Olympic debut included Celina Toth in diving and Matthew Sharpe in triathlon. "I'm so happy to be an Olympian," Toth told the media upon her return home.
The Paralympics kick-off on August 24; current UVic student Kyle Fredrickson is the lone athlete representing the Vikes this summer at the Paralympics. Fredrickson, who competes in para rowing, will contend for a medal in the
PR3 mixed coxed four with Island-based teammates Victoria Nolan, Bayleigh Hooper, Andrew Todd and coxswain Laura Court.
Olympic Day 6: Thursday, July 29
Canada won its
first gold medal in Women’s Eights rowing since 1992!!!
Rowing
Women’s:
Eights –
WON GOLD MEDAL!!!
Rugby
Women’s: Canada vs. France –
Lost 31-0, failed to qualify for quarter-finals
Field Hockey
Men’s: Canada vs. South Africa –
Tied 4-4
Olympic Day 6: Wednesday, July 28
Rowing
Women’s:
Caileigh Filmer & Hillary Janssens (Pairs) – WON BRONZE!!!!!!!!!!!
Men’s:
Patrick Keane, Maxwell Lattimer (Lightweight Double Sculls) – Finished 4th in Final B
Kai Langerfeld & Conlin McCabe (Pairs) – Finished 4th in Final
Rugby
Women’s: Canada vs. Brazil – Won 33-0, Canada vs. Fiji – Lost 26-12
Field Hockey
Men’s: Canada vs. Belgium – Lost 9-1
Olympic Day 5: Tuesday, July 27
Rowing
Women’s:
Eights – Qualified for Final
Caileigh Filmer & Hillary Janssens (Pairs) – Qualified for Final
Men’s:
Patrick Keane & Maxwell Lattimer (Lightweight Double Sculls) –Qualified for Final B
Kai Langerfeld & Conlin McCabe (Pairs) – Qualified for Final
Olympic Day 4: Monday, July 26
Field Hockey
Men: Canada vs. Netherlands, Pool B – Lost 4-2 Rugby
Men: Canada vs. New Zealand – Lost in quarterfinal 21-10
Cycling
Women: Catharine Pendrel – 18th
Olympic Day 3: Sunday, July 25
Field Hockey
Men: Canada vs. Great Britain – Canada lost 3-1 (ranks 6th in Pool B)
Rugby
Men: Canada lost to Great Britain 24-0, Canada lost to Fiji 28-14
Triathlon
Men: Matthew Sharpe – finished 49th
Olympic Day 2: Saturday July 24
Field Hockey
Men’s: Canada vs. Germany – Lost 7-1 in first match of Group stages
Rowing
Men’s:
Maxwell Lattimer and Patrick Keane (Lightweight Double Sculls) – Finished 3rd in Heat 2, Qualified for Repechage
Maxwell Lattimer and Patrick Keane – second in repechage heat, advances to semifinals
Kai Langerfeld and Conlin McCabe (Pairs) – Finished 3rd in Heat 3, Qualified for Semi-Final
Women’s:
Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens (Pairs) – Finished 1st in Heat 1, Qualified for Semi-Final
Canada (Eights) – Finished 2nd in Heat 1, Qualified For Repechage
Olympic Opening Ceremonies Day 1: Friday July 23
Olympic kickoff week: Monday July 19
