Canada doubles up with gold in men’s and women’s team pursuit at 2017 Pan Am championships
Five medals for Team Canada at Pan Am track championships in Trinidad and Tobago
Canada have had an amazing first two days at the 2017 Pan American cycling championships in Trinidad and Tobago. On Thursday, Day 2 of the track events, Canada earned two gold medals sweeping the team pursuit events. On the opening day, Amelie Walsh and Steph Roorda earned a silver medal in the women’s team sprint, and Canadian road champion Allison Beveridge took home bronze in the scratch race. On Thursday, Olympian Hugo Barrette also earned a silver medal in the Keirin.
Another ?in Team Pursuit, this time by our ?? women! @hugo_barrette also made the top 3, taking ?in the Keirin. Awesome results! ? pic.twitter.com/7emynqsKrM
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) September 1, 2017
The women’s squad of Devaney Collier, Meghan Grant, Kinley Gibson and Ariane Bonhomme bested Mexico in the final. Cuba won the bronze medal. The medal is a good moral boost for the squad. Canada’s team pursuit failed to medal at the world championships, the first time they left the world championships since 2011 without a medal in the event.
Chapeau @CyclingCanada ?. Great racing at #PanAmElite #PanamPista17. We look forward to future opportunities against the #KingInTheNorth.⚔️? https://t.co/bj6VlQs8ck
— USA Cycling (@usacycling) September 1, 2017
Congratulations to the CAN ?? Men's Team Pursuit who took GOLD ?at the Pan Am Championships in Trinidad and Tobago! @CyclingCanada #cycling pic.twitter.com/a98QPMIwLH
— Morning Glory C. C. (@MGridetoronto) September 1, 2017
The men’s program has taken significant strides this year to improve in the team pursuit. The team took gold at the World Cup in Apeldoorn in November after winning bronze in Glascow earlier that month. At the 2017 world championship’s in April, the team left banged up and disappointed after crashing in qualifying. The men’s team of Jay Lamoureaux, Bayley Simpson, Derek Gee and Aidan Caves took gold beating the United States in the finale.
And the first medal of the #panamchamps goes to @Alli_Bev in the Scratch race ??♀️ pic.twitter.com/lJf1WIZE7y
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) August 31, 2017
Beveridge, who earned the Canadian national championship title on the road in June, rode the scratch race and sealed third place. It was Canada’s first medal on the Pan Am championships opening night.
The @walshie802 and @stephroorda duo win ? in Team Sprint at #panams! ?Tomorrow, the MTP advance to the ? round, an incredible first day! pic.twitter.com/IAtnBofNl4
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) August 31, 2017
Roorda and Walsh added to the medal haul taking second in the women’s team sprint on Wednesday.
Barrette’s medal is his first on the internal stage since 2015. That year he earned gold at the Pan Am Games in Toronto in the sprint and team sprint, while earning bronze in the keirin. The silver medal in the keirin in Trinidad and Tobago will come as a big relief to the 26-year-old who represented Canada in Rio.
