Handing out a final mark

London (CP) — Canada’s stated goal for these Olympics was to finish among the top dozen countries. The Canadian team finished 13th with 18 medals in total. It needed 20 medals to get into a tie for 12th with Ukraine and the Netherlands.

Canada was on pace for 20 with 10 medals at the halfway mark. But in a reverse of the last two Summer Games, Canada wasn’t as strong in the second half.

One gold medal is the least won by Canada at a Summer Games since 1976, not including the boycotted Moscow Games in 1980.

The good:

• Rosannagh MacLennan prevents a shutout in gold medals by winning women’s trampoline. The 23-year-old from King City, Ont., will be one to watch in 2016. • The swim and canoe/kayak teams lead the way with one silver and two bronze medals each. • Historic bronze aside, the women’s soccer team produced the most memorable performance of the Olympics in defeat when they lost 4-3 in extra time to the heavily favoured U.S. in the semifinal. • Two men in the Olympic high jump final, a fifth in decathlon and the relay team disqualified from the bronze medal for a line infraction indicates Canada is making a comeback in the glamour sport.

The bad:

• Current and former world champions Dylan Armstrong (shot put), Mary Spencer (boxing), Tara Whitten and Zach Bell (track cycling) and Catherine Pendrel (mountain bike) did not make the podium in individual events in London. • Disqualifications in track and field and equestrian did not help Canada’s cause. A seldom-used call by the referee for a time-count violation in the women’s soccer semifinal ultimately led to the tying goal for the U.S. — Canadians finished fourth six times. Grade: C