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Newsletter by Keiran Gorsky, Farrah Philpot, Dan Plouffe, Martin Cleary & Tyler Reis-Sanford
On a sticky summer night, Reinaldo Abraham and his Ontario teammates desperately needed to cool down after their opening 2-0 victory over Saskatchewan in men’s soccer. It was just a short skip and a jump out from picturesque CBS Soccer Field on the shore of Conception Bay and into the salty seawater. One by one, the players hopped in.
“It’s super nice playing in front of the ocean,” Abraham marvelled in a post-match interview with the Ottawa Sports Pages’ Keiran Gorsky.
It’s one of the two scenic venues where men’s and women’s soccer will be played over the next two weeks. In their next preliminary match against B.C. Tuesday, Ontario will play on historic grounds at King George V Stadium on the head of Quidi Vidi Lake. This 6,400 capacity venue was where Canada famously qualified for its first ever World Cup in 1986.
“I’m excited to play there,” Abraham added.
The Ottawa South United product who recently moved to Toronto FC’s academy was pleased to share the field with longtime teammate Luca Ugarte, who still plies his trade with OSU in Ligue 1 Quebec. Abraham credits a long 11 years in the club’s academy system for his impressive development.
It was a closer fought match than the favoured Ontarians might have liked, particularly in the first half. Both goals came near the beginning of the second, Anthony Fresca and Hugh McKee being the ones to land on the scoresheet.
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Capraz wins Ottawa’s first medal with swim relay bronze
Deniz Capraz picked up Ottawa’s first medal at the Canada Summer Games on Sunday afternoon alongside the Ontario 4×200-metre men’s freestyle swimming team, notching the bronze with a time of 7:43.88 behind champions Quebec and silver medalists Alberta.
Capraz swam the third leg of the relay in what was the final swim event of the day at The Works – Aquarena.
The Nepean-Kanata Barracudas distance swimmer was recognized for his endurance and versatility in a variety of distance freestyle events for Ontario. He’ll swim his farthest for the 1,500 m freestyle Thursday. That is perhaps his strongest event as of late, having won the recent Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria and placed second at the Ontario Championships in July.
Meanwhile, Nepean Knights goaltender Kyleigh Payne was between the posts for Team Ontario’s opening preliminary match today. The defending gold medalists were dealt a difficult first opponent in British Columbia, whom they narrowly defeated at the Niagara 2022 Games to top the podium. This time around, B.C. won by a score of 5-2.
The Ontarians were hemmed in their defensive zone for large parts of the game, struggling mightily to break up an organized B.C. cycle play. The score could have been even less flattering if not for multiple interventions from Payne – the finals MVP at the 2022 Canadian championships – as well as a few pings off the post. Payne did not start Ontario’s second match later that evening when Ontario trounced Quebec 12-4.
On the tennis court Sunday, freshly-minted double U16 national champion Josh Adamson continued his winning ways with a doubles victory alongside partner Callum Mackinnon. The Ontario mates beat B.C.’s Eric and Lucas Wang 6-3 6-4 en route to a cumulative 5-1 Ontario victory in their first preliminary pool matchup.
Day 3 Preview: Basketball tips off, alongside canoe-kayak, cycling, rugby & sailing
The basketball competition gets underway Monday for Team Ontario, and for Ottawa’s Godson Okokoh, it’s yet another chance to play the sport he was born to play. Or at least that’s what people kept telling him since he was young because he was always taller than most of his peers.
But it took until age 12 until he got into basketball, and it’s only been up from there – both in his career and in his height.
“I was always a tall kid, so everyone was just telling me, ‘play basketball,’ so I just knew that was just going to be what I would do,” Okokoh recalled during an interview with the Ottawa Sports Pages’ Farrah Philpot.
Come age 15, Okokoh was already 6’6″ and now the 16-year-old forward stands 6’8″. He first took to the hardwood in middle school in Ottawa, following both his younger brother and older sister into the sport.
His sister, Rachael Okokoh, is part of the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association-champion Capital Courts Academy and recently went to the medal round with Team Canada at the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Czechia.
The Okokoh family has become a basketball dynasty, with all three siblings either playing at a prep school or for Team Canada – Godson doing both.
As he entered high school, Okokoh moved to Toronto to attend Royal Crown Academic School, and then he decided to take the leap and move to the United States. He first attended So Cal Academy in California and then moved on to Iowa United Prep with his brother Richard.
“Playing away, the schooling is kind of different,” noted Okokoh. “You go to school, but you also have a lot of time on the court, so I feel like that just made me gain confidence and get better overall.”
While he may be living away from home, the rest of Okokoh’s family is never far away in his mind.
“They support me. Away game, supporting me, always tuned in to watch,” he underlined.
And when it comes to support, his dad is firmly in his corner at all times.
“He inspires me every day, pushes me to get better,” added Okokoh.
Travelling has been a major part of Okokoh’s basketball career. As the youngest member of the team for the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 men’s basketball championships in Mexico, he helped Canada earn a silver medal while averaging over 18 minutes of court time per game.
“It’s a blessing, being able to always travel,” highlighted Okokoh, “and being away from home definitely builds character.”
Okokoh will be joined by another pair of local players in St. John’s. Daniella Appoh, who is from Laval but moved to Ottawa and was part of the champion squad with Okokoh’s sister at CCA, will be playing for Team Quebec.
And Ashbury College student Emmanuel Oko-Oboh will be at Okokoh’s side with the Team Ontario men. Obo-Okoh also plays for the Capital Courts boys and is a Brock University commit.
Okokoh’s objectives are clear for the Canada Games, which tips off for Team Ontario with an afternoon matchup against Quebec.
“I just want to win,” signalled Okokoh. “I want to be a better teammate, get my guys involved, and all the type of stuff, but just win is my main focus right now.”
Appoh, meanwhile, will begin her tournament with Team Quebec by taking on Alberta in the evening.
Other local athletes in action Monday:
Kyleigh Payne will be back on the box lacrosse floor for Ontario’s game against Alberta.
Road cycling action begins with the individual time trial races and Cadie Geertsema is part of the Ontario women’s contingent.
Team Ontario rugby players Grace Dingwall, Ainsley McDonell, ShonDreya Smardon, Jack Priestman and Declan Crew-Gee begin the high-octane sevens tournament with a trio of matches on opening day.
The first and second of 10 sailing races are Monday for Britannia Yacht Club members Brodie Sorensen and Evania Lovshin (who is from Chelsea and represents Quebec.
The tennis team competition continues for Josh Adamson in Ontario’s series against Alberta.
Ottawa’s youngest Canada Games athlete will make her debut in the pool. Jordyn Richardson, 13, will swim the women’s 50 m freestyle, while Capraz returns for the men’s 400 m individual medley.
And the giant 11-member local canoe-kayak team will start their competition, led by Team Ontario opening ceremonies flag bearer Isabel Lowry.
Ottawa at the Canada Games Daily Newsletter
A huge team of 48 Ottawa athletes is competing at the St. John’s 2025 Canada Summer Games in Newfoundland. The Ottawa Sports Pages will be sending out a free daily email newsletter with recaps, previews and profiles throughout the Aug. 9-24 national youth multi-sport event.
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