Day 12 was another thrilling day of competition at Paris 2024, with Alysha Newman delivering Team Canada’s first Olympic medal in the pole vault in 112 years.
Here’s what else happened:
Paris 2024 Competition Schedule
Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson have made Canadian Olympic history, becoming the first pair to ever qualify for the semifinals in women’s beach volleyball. They took down the No. 16-ranked duo from Spain, Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno, 21-18, 21-18.
On match point in the second set, Humana-Paredes rolled an attack shot over the outstretched hands of the opponent, punching Canada’s ticket to the medal round.
READ: Humana-Paredes & Wilkerson blaze past Spanish duo to secure historic semifinal appearance
Canada will face Tanja Hüberli and Nina Betschart, the No. 9-ranked Swiss duo who bring a record of 5-0. The match will get underway on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. local.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games Information Hub
Alysha Newman secured a historic achievement for Team Canada, earning the nation’s first medal in Olympic pole vault in 112 years, and the first ever by a Canadian woman.
READ: Newman’s medal-winning flight caps Team Canada’s Day 12 in athletics
Evan Dunfee and Olivia Lundman raced in the inaugural Olympic marathon race walk mixed relay, walking to a time of 3:04:57. This marks a new Canadian record in the event. Dunfee competed earlier this week, finishing fifth in the men’s 20km race walk. Paris 2024 is Lundman’s Olympic debut, made extra special by racing alongside Dunfee, who is also her coach.
On the track, Mariam Abdul-Rashid raced to a time of 12.80 in the first round of the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her spot in the semis. Michelle Harrison raced to a time of 13.40 in her first round heat, and will move on to a repechage.
It was a tough day for Moh Ahmed, when a fall removed him from contention in the first round of the men’s 5000m. Teammate Ben Flanagan will also not move on to the final. Thomas Fafard will be the lone Canadian in the final, finishing his first round in 14:09.37.
Reigning world champion Marco Arop is smoothly through to the semifinals of the men’s 800m after taking second in his heat with a time of 1:45.74.
Lucia Stafford, Kate Current and Simone Plourde raced in the repechage round of the women’s 1500m. Stafford raced to a time of 4:04.26, Current to a time of 4:08.91, and Plourde to 4:08.49. Despite valiant racing, none of the Canadians will advance to the semifinals.
It was a tough night on the track for Team Canada’s sprinters. Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown and Brendon Rodney all failed to advance to the final of the men’s 200m. De Grasse ran 20.41, Brown ran 20.57 and Rodney ran 20.59.
Jean-Simon Desgagnés finished 13th in the men’s steeplechase, running 8:19.31.
READ: Alysha Newman flies to bronze in women’s pole vault
Connor Fitzpatrick finished second in his heat of the men’s C-1 1000m heats, securing himself direct advancement to the semifinals.
Michelle Russell and Riley Melanson had to do an extra round of racing, but by finishing second and third, respectively, in their quarterfinals they will advance to the semis of the women’s K-1 500m.
After the first day of play at Le Golf National, Alena Sharp is tied for seventh place, shooting 1-under par 71 in her first round. Team Canada teammate Brooke Henderson is tied for 30th, having shot 74.
Sarah Douglas finished third in the medal race for the ILCA 6 class. This performance on the final day of racing bumped the Canadian up to an eighth place finish overall.
The women’s kiteboarding races featuring Canadian Emily Bugeja were cancelled. Sitting in 18th after six races, Bugeja will not advance to the semifinal.
Canada finished sixth overall in the team event after placing sixth in the acrobatic routine, the third and final phase of the competition.
READ: Young Canadian artistic swimming team gains experience at Paris 2024
Margo Erlam finished 22nd overall in the preliminary round of the women’s 3m springboard. She misses out on advancing to the semifinal by four spots.
Lauriane Genest and Kelsey Mitchell are through to the quarterfinals in the women’s keirin after they each finished first in their repechage heats.
READ: Canadian cyclists getting themselves on track at Paris 2024
Tyler Rorke and Nick Wammes advanced from the qualifying heats of the men’s sprint event to the 1/32 finals. In that round, both Canadians fell to their opponents and moved to the 1/32 repechage, where they raced in the same heat, losing to Rayan Helal of France.
Team Canada’s Dylan Bibic, Mathias Guillemette, Michael Foley and Carson Mattern finished seventh overall in the men’s team pursuit event.
On the women’s side, Maggie Coles-Lyster, Sarah van Dam, Erin Attwell and Ariane Bonhomme finished eighth in the team pursuit.
Josipa Kafadar fell in her first match against Lena Stojkovic of Croatia by a score of 2-0 in the women’s -49kg round of 16.
