Canada had a wonderful Monday at the Paris 2024 Olympics punctuated by three big medal wins.
The highlight of the day came in the swimming pool when Summer McIntosh won the nation’s second gold medal of the Games in the 400m individual medley final.
The race wasn’t even close.
It’s the summer of Summer. ☀️
Summer McIntosh is your 400m individual medley Olympic champion!🥇#TeamCanada | #Paris2024 | @RC_Sports pic.twitter.com/gsgswNGXaE
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) July 29, 2024
McIntosh was a heavy favourite in the event and holds the world record despite being just 17-years-old. She blew away the rest of the competition and made it look easy.
Summer McIntosh beat second-place Katie Grimes by 5.69 seconds.
That’s more time than the difference between Grimes and the sixth-place Mio Narita.
Another gold for Canada!#ParisOlympics2024 #Paris2024
— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) July 29, 2024
This is the Toronto native’s second medal of the Paris 2024 Games as she already won a silver in the 400m freestyle event.
McIntosh is well on her way to being one of the most decorated Canadian Olympians of all time. These are already her second Games, and she’s still just 17 years old, not even old enough to vote in a federal election.
The superstar swimmer was not the only Canadian to bring home a gold medal today. Christa Deguchi became the first Canadian to win an event at the Paris 2024 Olympics after she won the women’s 57kg judo event.
Canada wins gold… by default 🇨🇦🥇😄 pic.twitter.com/VAueeqKtrP
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) July 29, 2024
Her opponent was disqualified for a false attack which gave Deguchi her first ever Olympic medal. The Canadian’s celebration caught people’s attention online as she remained calm and composed despite surely feeling a wave of emotion.
It’s Canada’s first-ever gold medal in judo at the Olympics.
Those two gold medals are not the only hardware that Canada brought home on Monday. Divers Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray won a bronze medal in the men’s 10m synchro diving final.
PURE. JOY.
Rylan Wiens, Nathan Zsombor-Murray win Canada’s FIRST-EVER Olympic medal in 10m synchro diving 🥉🇨🇦#MedalMoments presented by @petrocanada pic.twitter.com/tscjnibWQY
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) July 29, 2024
It was also Canada’s first-ever medal in the specific event and their first medal in men’s diving in 16 years. Both divers still have individual events left on their schedule, and they’ll surely be looking to win another medal.
The Canadian women’s rugby team pulled off a big upset over France which left the hosts shocked and crying. Canada will now advance to the semi-finals and have guaranteed themselves a chance to play for a medal.
Epic celebration after Canada’s big quarter-final win in women’s rugby 🏉 🇨🇦
They beat France in France pic.twitter.com/653rEeshoE
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) July 29, 2024
They will face off against Australia at 10 am ET/7 am PT as they look to advance to the final.
Canada’s success carried over to beach volleyball which is being played in an amazing venue right in front of the Eiffel Tower. Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes won their opening game. The duo is ranked third in the world and thus has a solid chance at a medal.
First #Paris2024 win in the books for Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson
Watch them compete next on July 31st at 3pm ET on @cbcgem pic.twitter.com/L6qSow3qV7
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) July 29, 2024
Returning to the pool, Mary-Sophie Harvey just barely missed out on the podium in the women’s 200m freestyle final. She swam a personal best time in the final after a furious finish to the race, which almost earned her a medal.
Natation 🏊 : Mary-Sophie Harvey 🇨🇦 bat son record québécois au 200 m style libre avec temps de 1 m 55 s 29/100 et termine au 4e rang. Revoyez sa course juste ici 👇.@msophieharvey @swimmingcanada #Paris2024 #rcsports #jeuxolympiques #natation pic.twitter.com/4APasSTpoT
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) July 29, 2024
Canada is now in ninth place with five medals, including two golds, after the first few days of the Paris Games.