Drouin leap accents Canadian team’s ascent
Medals pile up on final day of track and field events with worlds around corner
Derek Drouin standing on top of a medal podium is a familiar sight for many Canadians. The high jumper was the nation’s only medallist in track and field at the London Olympics, after all.
But when he won his gold medal Saturday night at the Pan Am Games, he did so as part of a much stronger Canadian team.
Before Drouin’s win — where the high jump silver went to fellow Canadian Mike Mason — the women’s 4x100-metre relay team earned bronze and there was silver for Nicole Sifuentes in the 1,500 metres, where teammate Sasha Gollish finished third. The final night at the track closed with bronze for Canada in the women’s 4x400-metre relay.
“My last two meets were season bests also, so I was carrying in some confidence,” Drouin said. “I knew that being in Toronto and being in front of the crowd like this would be great, so I’m glad I didn’t let that go to waste.”
His winning jump of 2.37 metres is one of the three best in the world this year and inched close to his Canadian record of 2.40, a month ahead of the world championships in Beijing.
“Canada winning gold and silver, it can’t get much better than that,” said the 25-year-old from Corunna, Ont. “Non-verbally, because I didn’t want to jinx it, I was hoping Mike and I would be the top two spots.”
Canada’s athletics medals started rolling in two at a time before they even got to the track with the goldsilver finish by race walkers Evan Dunfee and Inaki Gomez.
On the track, the star of the show was Andre De Grasse, who more than earned the moniker of Canada’s sprint king with gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres. A third gold in the 4x100-metre relay was wiped out after a protest and disqualification.
In total, Canada picked up 26 medals, including 11 gold.
“It’s been awesome, intimidating and fun,” Gollish said about being part of such a successful Canadian team.
Because the 1,500 metres comes on the final night, Gollish and Sifuentes had to stay away from the track for the most part to prepare. But Sifuentes said she was on the edge of her bed in the athletes village watching coverage.
“Seeing my teammates every night bringing home medals . . . I know most of them from previous teams so they’re my friends and it’s been awesome to see them do well, and I couldn’t wait to get out here tonight,” said the 29-year-old Winnipeg runner. “My first big meet was a world youth (championship) in Sherbrooke, Que., and I remember being excited to be on the start line, to be wearing the Canadian uniform and in front of a Canadian crowd. This is even better because it’s been such a long time.”
Even Drouin, who is as even-keeled as they come, was taken with the whole experience of competing at home: “I never start the clap, ever. I just quadrupled the number of times I’ve done that and it was fun.”