Of the 60 medals that Canada won at the Parapan Am Games in Lima, Peru, Saskatchewan athletes had a hand in seven of them.
Among those Saskatchewan medal winners was Prince Albert’s Erica Gavel (pictured), a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning women’s wheelchair basketball team. Gavel was also a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team from the 2015 Games. Plus, Julie Kozun of Melfort was a member of Canada’s bronze-medal winning team in women’s sitting volleyball. Following is the news release from the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan…
Sask athletes win seven medals at
Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games
Saskatchewan athletes returned from Parapan Am Games in Lima, Peru with seven medals including one gold and four medals won by a swimmer.
The Saskatchewan athletes won one gold, four silvers and two bronze medals. Saskatchewan’s contingent included six athletes and two coaches as part of Team Canada, as well as three Saskatchewan appointed officials at the 2019 Parapan Am Games from August 23 to September 1.
Erica Gavel (Prince Albert, Sask.) helped Canada defend the Parapan Am gold medal in wheelchair basketball and also helped Canada qualify for the Toyko 2020 Paralympic Games. Krystal Shaw (Moose Jaw, Sask.) returns with four medals in Para swimming in the S7 class winning silvers in the 100-metre freestyle, 50-m freestyle and 100-m backstroke. She added a bronze medal in the 4X100-m medley relay.
Other Saskatchewan medalists included: Nik Goncin (Regina), silver, wheelchair basketball; and Julie Kozun (Melfort, Sask.), bronze, sitting volleyball. Goncin also helped the Canadian men’s wheelchair basketball program qualify for the Toyko 2020 Paralympic Games.
Saskatchewan Athlete Results:
Erica Gavel (Prince Albert) – GOLD, women’s wheelchair basketball
Nik Goncin (Regina) – SILVER, men’s wheelchair basketball
Krystal Shaw (Moose Jaw) – SILVER, Para swimming S7 Class, 100-m freestyle, 100-m backstroke, 50-m freestyle; BRONZE, 4X100-m medley relay; Fourth, SM7 200-m individual medley, 4X100-m freestyle relay; 7th, S7 400-m freestyle
Julie Kozun (Melfort) – BRONZE, women’s sitting volleyball
Wyatt Lightfoot (Wilcox) – 4th, SS6, men’s Para badminton
Mitch McIntyre (Esterhazy) – 4th, Quads Singles, men’s wheelchair Tennis
Saskatchewan Coaches:
Carla Nicholls (Regina) – Para athletics, Coach
Frank Gaudet (Regina) – Para badminton, Coach
Saskatchewan Officials:
Shelia Guenther (Estevan) – Para swimming, Official
Simon Merkosky (Regina) – Para swimming, Official
Ryan Gaudet (Bellevue) – wheelchair rugby, Official
Canada captured 60 medals in Lima – 17 gold, 21 silver and 22 bronze.
