Canada’s Ethan Katzberg has struck gold once more in the men’s hammer throw at the Pan American Games on Saturday in Santiago, Chile.
The 21-year-old from Nanaimo, set a Pan Am Games record with a throw of 80.96 metres to emerge as champion. Americans Daniel Haugh (77.62) and Rudy Winkler (76.65) earned silver and bronze, respectively.
The gold only adds to Katzberg’s breakout 2023 campaign. He won the world title in Budapest, Hungary, in August, becoming the first Canadian man to reach the podium in the event at a world championship.
His Canadian record of 81.25 metres was good to defeat reigning Olympic champion Wojciech Nowicki of Poland. Katzberg also won the national title in July in Langley.
Parksville’s Alycia Butterworth won a silver medal in the women’s 3,000-metre steeplechase at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Butterworth, a Ballenas Secondary School graduate and former member of the Oceanside Track and Field Club, completed the course in a time of nine minutes, 40.86 seconds, 1:39 behind eventual winner, Adaluz Belen Cassetta of Argentina, who set a Games record at 9:39.47.
READ MORE: PODCAST: Parksville’s Alycia Butterworth discusses her Olympic experience
Two of her former coaches in Parksville, Kim and Randy Longmuir, watched Butterworth’s race live and they were thrilled to see her earn silver.
“We were both cheering so loudly,” said Kim. “It was very emotional to watch her finish so strong. Alycia struggled with so many injuries the last few years and has never given up. She is one of the most dedicated and hard-working athletes we have ever coached and is very deserving of this medal.”
Also in athletics, Canada’s Jean-Simon Desgagnés earned himself a gold Saturday in the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase with a time of eight minutes 30.14 seconds.
The 25-year-old from Saint-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., outdid American Daniel Michalski (8:36.47) and Colombia’s Carlos San Martin (8:41.59), who earned silver and bronze, respectively.
Meanwhile, dancer Philip Kim made history winning the first-ever Pan Am Games gold medal in men’s breaking, in addition to earning an Olympic berth.
The 26-year-old from Vancouver, known as B-Boy Phil Wizard in break dancing circles, defeated Jeff (B-Boy Jeffro) Louis of the United States 3-0 in the final battle.
“It means a lot,” Kim said. “This whole pathway since the beginning of this year, even last year, with the whole Olympics being introduced to breaking, it’s been an incredible experience. To be a part of history for me, really means the world.”
Breaking made its Pan Am Games debut in Santiago, Chile. The sport will also be an Olympic event for the first time in Paris next year.
Earlier Saturday, Canada’s paddlers continued their medal haul with a gold, silver and two bronze.
Katie Vincent and Sloan MacKenzie were victorious in the women’s C2 500 metres Saturday in San Pedro de la Paz, southwest of Santiago, Chile.
Canada capped the canoe and kayak competition with nine medals — four gold, two silver and three bronze — ahead of Argentina with seven medals, including two gold.
Nicholas Matveev, Pierre-Luc Poulin, Laurent Lavigne and Simon McTavish were silver medallists in the men’s K4 500 metres behind Argentina.
Courtney Stott and Madeleine Schmidt took bronze in the women’s K2 500. Connor Fitzpatrick was also a bronze medallist in men’s C1 1,000.
Vincent of Mississauga, Ont., earned an Olympic bronze medal with Laurence Vincent Lapointe in Tokyo just over two years ago when women’s canoeing was part of the Olympic program for the first time.
Also Saturday, Keegan Soehn and Remi Aubin were silver medallists in synchronized men’s trampoline.
Canada’s Brock Hoel, Emy Legault, Liam Donnelly and Dominka Jamnicky earned bronze in the mixed team triathlon. The women’s softball team defeated Mexico 7-0 for bronze.
The Pan American Games close Sunday. Canada is currently ranked third in overall medals and fourth in gold among 34 participating countries from the Americas and Caribbean.
The Canadian Press, with a file from Michael Briones