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Newsletter By Adam Beauchemin, Jackson Starr, Martin Cleary, Dan Plouffe & Kaitlyn LeBoutillier
Good things come in threes for Ottawa tennis star Gaby Dabrowski, the first Ottawa athlete to medal at this year’s Olympic Games.
The three-time Grand Slam title winner Dabrowski finally got her hands on an Olympic medal by placing third in mixed doubles tennis at Paris 2024 — her third Summer Games.
“To have achieved a medal is extremely fulfilling and validating for all the hard work and sacrifice that we’ve put in our whole lives, and everyone around us as well: parents, coaches, trainers,” Dabrowski said via the Canadian Olympic Committee. “We’ve been, as Olympians, playing for something bigger than ourselves.”
Dabrowski and her partner Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal won the bronze medal game against the Netherlands’ Wesley Koolhof and Demi Schuurs in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (2).
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The Canadian pair came out strong and took an early 3-1 lead in the first set, which they rode to a clean 6-3 victory.
Dabrowski and Auger-Aliassime showed no signs of slowing down to start the second set and jumped to an early 3-0 lead. The Dutch pair were not ready to surrender and overcame the deficit to put the game at 6-6 and force a tie-break.
Yet again, the Canadians came into the tiebreaker hot with and earned a quick 3-0 advantage, which they rode all the way to their match victory, finished with a rapid-reaction Dabrowski volley.
“I just feel like there’s almost nothing better than winning a medal, because it means so much more than something that you accomplish for your individual career,” underlined Dabrowski, who competed alongside Auger-Aliassime in the Tokyo Olympics, but lost their first match.
Dabrowski noted that the Olympics were “everything” in her household growing up, and that she treasures the opportunity to play for Canada.
“It means a kid like me, growing up with an immigrant parent who’s pushing them to do as well as they can in their sport, but for what reason? To have exposure to a different life, to make friends from all around the world,” reflected Dabrowski, who won a Billie Jean King Cup world team title with Canada last year.
“It’s just so much bigger than yourself,” she added. “To be in a position where I can give back and represent and do it alongside some unbelievable athletes, I can’t ask for anything more.”
In the lead-up to her first Olympics in 2016, Dabrowski told the Ottawa Sports Pages that many people have helped and guided her in her career, but no one has had the same kind of impact as her #1 fans. She thanked her parents, Yurek and Wanda, for all the sacrifices and support they provided since she started playing tennis at age 7.
“They have been there for me the whole time, every step of the way,” Dabrowski highlighted. “I know now how much they did for me so I can live my dream.”
Jacqueline Madogo makes Olympic debut next to Sha’Carri Richardson in women’s 100 m
What an introduction to the Olympic Games. Not only was Ottawa rookie track-and-field Olympian Jacqueline Madogo drawn into the very first heat of the women’s 100 metres, she wound up in the lane right next to reigning world-champion Sha’Carri Richardson.
Madogo ended up missing out on qualifying for the semi-final round by the smallest of margins possible.
Looking for a top-3 finish in her heat to advance, the 24-year-old soccer-player-turned-sprinter ran a 11.27-second race, which placed her 0.01 behind the third-place runner in her heat, Australian Bree Masters who finished with a time of 11.26.
Richardson won comfortably in 10.94 to post the fourth-best time out of all eight heats, just a hair ahead of Gatineau’s Audrey Leduc, who set a new national-record time of 10.95.
Madogo’s Olympic journey is far from over — the former West Ottawa Soccer Club and University of Guelph Gryphons athlete will have two more chances to shine on the world stage in the 200 m and 4×100 m relay events.
“I want to take in the experience,” she told Ottawa Sports Pages reporter Jackson Starr prior to the Games. “I want to enjoy every bit of it. I definitely want to go out there competitive (and) put myself out there, put my best foot forward during every single race.
“Once you get to major Games, anything can happen, and I want to have the self-belief to be able to compete with the best in the world.”
Jessica Gaudreault, Canada fall to Australia in water polo
Jessica Gaudreault minded the net for the Canadian water polo team in their 10-7 group stage loss against the Australians.
It was Canada’s second defeat of the tournament, coming on the heels of a victory over China.
The match today started evenly for the two countries, and the teams finished the first quarter tied at 1-1. However, the Australians pulled ahead to a three-point lead in the second quarter, which they managed to maintain for much of the remainder of the match.
Gaudreault saved 50 per cent of the shots sent her way, going 10/20 against the Australians.
China lost its fourth and final match of the group stage today, which ensures Canada will play in the quarter-final round. A win over the Netherlands (2-1) in the Canadians’ final group game on Sunday would allow them to secure a higher seed in the playoff round.
Lois Betteridge faults in kayak cross time trial
It was a tough day on the waters for Ottawa whitewater paddler Lois Betteridge, who faulted in the women’s kayak cross time trials.
The Ottawa River Runner finished the day with a time of 79.76, but faulted on the roll, which pushed her to the final position on the day.
Today’s time trial determined the heat matchups for Saturday’s first round of competition, so Betteridge will have another chance to make a splash. Tomorrow, she’ll be up against Great Britain’s Noemie Fox, Spain’s Maialen Chourraut and Ukraine’s Viktoriia Us in the first round.
The first two paddlers to finish each heat will advance to next round, while the latter two will have a second chance to advance in the repechage.
Ottawa Olympians in action on August 3:
Preview: Ottawa’s Mike Woods & Derek Gee are Canada’s 2 reps in men’s cycling road race
Get ready for a jam-packed Saturday where Ottawa athletes will take the road, the waters, the track, the court and the pitch.
Ottawa cyclists Mike Woods and Derek Gee will be competing in the 273 km road race around Paris early on Saturday.
Woods will be making his third Olympic appearance, and remains as hungry as ever for a medal, having finishing within a wheel-length of the podium at the Tokyo Games.
“I’m extra motivated,” Woods said in a July interview with Ottawa Sports Pages reporter Adam Beauchemin. “The Olympic Games are really special to me – more so than most cyclists. For road cyclists, the Olympics aren’t the be-all, end-all — it’s the Tour de France, typically. But for me, I hold it in a similar regard.”
The former Ottawa Lions Track and Field Club and University of Michigan Wolverines middle distance runner has earned stage victories at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España since transforming into a cyclist.
Woods, 37, will be lining up alongside fellow Ottawa native and Israel-Premier Tech pro teammate Derek Gee, 26. Gee is fresh off a top-10 overall performance in his debut Tour de France.
“He’s a fellow Ottawa boy, and I’m really proud that he’s made the (Olympic) spot. He’s been racing so well,” Woods said. “It’s going to be really special to be racing with him, and especially as I really think he’s the future of Canadian cycling.”
Gee competed as a track cyclist in the Tokyo Games, and made his Olympic road racing debut last week in the individual trial where he placed 20th.
The 273 km Paris course will feature 2,800 metres of climbing, including three climbs up the storied Montmartre hill near the course’s finish in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
You can read our full pre-Games profiles on Woods here and on Gee here.
Vanessa Gilles, Team Canada play in quarter-finals
Vanessa Gilles will be hitting the pitch again for Team Canada in their quarter-final knock-out match against Germany tomorrow after overcoming their 6-point penalty for the “dronegate” incident.
Gilles has been crucial to the scandal-rocked Canadians’ miracle birth into the quarter-finals, netting both game-winning goals in Canada’s must-win games against France and Colombia.
The Canadians will be facing a German team who defeated Australia and Zambia in the knockout rounds. Their lone loss was a 4-1 match against Team USA.
A win over Germany in tomorrow’s knockout game would advance Canada to the semi-finals, where they face the winner of the contest between the United States and Japan.
Marial Shayok & South Sudan set for showdown with Serbia
Ottawa’s Marial Shayok will be competing in South Sudan’s final group stage game against the 1-1 Serbians.
South Sudan is sitting in third place for Group C with a 1-1 record. A win against Serbia would guarantee them second place in their group and entry into the knockout round. However, that will be easier said than done as Serbia will be led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
Shayok started at guard in both of South Sudan’s games and has been playing heavy minutes. In Wednesday’s loss to the Americans, Shayok posted 12 points, 4 assists and 1 rebound.
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