Laura Zeng of the United States competes  in the rhythmic gymnastics clubs final during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Toronto Coliseum. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

 

Reuters/Toronto


The heat and the United States charge up the Pan American Games medal table both continued on Sunday, as officials celebrated a victory by surpassing the one million tickets sold mark.
The united States, who passed Canada on the medal table on Saturday, padded their lead by adding eight gold medals to push their total to 59 and 160 overall as the hosts settled into second on 54 gold and 142 overall medals.
Brazil are third followed by Colombia, who surged past Cuba and Mexico into fourth courtesy of three gold medals on the golf course.
Having spent the first week of the July 10-26 multi-sport fest leading the medal standings, Canada gave locals plenty of reason to open their wallets and come out and cheer.  The Americans, however, cashed in on Sunday striking triple gold at the canoeing venue and double gold in rhythmic gymnastics and equestrian eventing.
With temperatures again nudging into the mid-30s Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), Canada got the day off to a sizzling start with Evan Dunfee winning the men’s 20km race walk ahead of compatriot Inaki Gomez while Mexico’s Maria Gonzalez took the women’s title.
No athlete was hotter, however, than American Laura Zeng who added hoop and ball apparatus gold to her all-around rhythmic gymnastics crown.  The 15-year-old could add two more titles to her haul with the club and ribbon finals.
“I want to become the best world-class gymnast that I can become,” said Zeng, who won a bronze in the individual all-around at last year’s Youth Olympic Games. “As much as I love getting the medals, I haven’t really been focusing on medals. “It’s more about myself and showing what I can do.”
The high point of the day for Canada came on the trampoline where 2012 Olympic champion Rosie MacLennan successfully defended her Pan Am gold and Keegan Soehn won the men’s.
Canada and the United States will also play for women’s basketball gold after contrasting semi-final wins. Linnae Harper drained two clutch free throws with 7.7 seconds left to give the United States a 65-64 comeback win over Cuba while Canada demolished Brazil 91-63.
Colombia ruled at the golf course sweeping all three gold medals, Marcelo Rozo winning the men’s title, Mariajo Uribe the women’s and the team gold.  Argentina cruised to two golds on the final day of the sailing competition, while Guatemala, Ecuador and Puerto Rico also clinched titles.

Canada defend baseball title
Meanwhile, Tyson Gillies could barely hear any of the exuberant pandemonium that erupted as Canada successfully defended their Pan Am Games baseball title with a 7-6 victory over the United States on Sunday.
“It’s pretty difficult to hear the crack of the bat, you know with the noise in the crowd and wind against my ears,” Gillies, who wears hearing aids, told Reuters at the final that was held in suburban Toronto. “But to be honest, baseball is a lot of hand signals and a lot of communication and signs so it never really affects me too bad on the field.”
Gillies has 30 percent hearing in one ear and 50 percent in the other. No one knew he was deaf until he was four because he had learned to read lips. The 26-year-old has said the assumption that he is incapable because of his hearing impairment has proven to be one of the biggest obstacles he has faced in his baseball career.
At the Pan Am Games he proved any doubters wrong. Gillies entered the gold medal game with a perfect fielding average, tied for second in home runs, third in runs batted in and fourth in both runs scored and slugging percentage. In the 10th inning of the final, he scored a run that cut the US lead to 6-5, moments before the US pitcher botched a pick off attempt at first base that saw his throw go into the outfield.
The right fielder’s throw then sailed wide of third, allowing Canada to score two runs and clinch the gold. “This might be one of the best moments in my life,” said Gillies, who is a member of the San Diego Padres’ minor league affiliate in San Antonio. “Everybody knows I don’t hear too well but man it’s sure loud out here right now.”