While Toronto appeared indifferent to the approaching Pan Am Games, once they arrived the city embraced the event with stunning support and filled stadiums and arenas to cheer on home athletes. And the traffic chaos ebbed, helped along the way by a transit plan that offered free rides to all ticket holders.
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But by the time the Pan American Games wrapped up Sunday, Toronto had been won over by the excitement of the global competition with some calling for the city to make a pitch for the Olympics.
“There are a lot of people to consult”, Tory said.
Data for the Pan Am opening weekend, from July 10 to 12, show an 8-per-cent increase in spending in the downtown area.
Even Pachi – well, no. Pachi was still just a weird porcupine mascot with colorful quills.
The COC’s closing news conference is traditionally held to talk about the Canadian team’s performance, but the question-and-answer portion was dominated by talk of an Olympic bid. Those medals confirm expectations ahead of Rio although numerous top athletes didn’t compete at Pan Ams because of world championships later this summer.
Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse gives the peace sign during the closing ceremony at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, Sunday July 26, 2015. Later in the day, Guillaume Boivin took one more bronze, rounding out a breathtaking performance for Canadian athletes.
“It is time to make it crystal clear”.
“At this Pan Am Games, top 2, I told you it was an ambitious objective, the way we like them”.
Toronto Mayor John Tory has said officials will weigh the pros and cons as soon as the Pan Am Games wrap up. The economic development committee of the city council has already rejected an Olympic bid by the cash-strapped city.
Chantal van Landeghem Swimming Veteran U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin – a 12-time Olympic medallist – was hailed for competing at the Pan Ams, after a number of prominent Olympians opted out. “But I’m so pumped for this and really excited and fortunate to have the opportunity”.
“I have my confidence in him”.
Aubut did not rise to the bait when asked if Canada had been encouraged to bid by Boston’s struggles. It was my first time, really, having to go through those things and to manage that. From the American perspective, Toronto could be considered like “home-country games” with Canadian governments picking up the bills. About 50 percent of residents were born outside Canada, and city hall figures say 45 percent speak a first language other than English or French. “Once they request and we see something on paper…then we’ll look at it and we’ll have to sit down and work on it and we’ll see if it’s feasible”.
The Parapan Am Games run August. 7-15, so the clock is ticking on Toronto declaring itself a candidate city.
That enthusiasm was tempered on Monday with news that Boston was ending its candidacy for the 2024 Olympics, putting a spotlight on the many challenges and pitfalls that await any city looking to land the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza.
Nurse is to represent Canada next month at the Olympic qualification tournament in Edmonton. In the midst of a long answer by Aubut, it was announced that the Canadian men’s volleyball team had closed out Puerto Rico in the fourth set of their final match.
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Canada captured gold in women’s road racing (cycling), team foil fencing and boxing; silver in men’s basketball; bronze in men’s singles bowling; and silver and bronze in the women’s 1,500-metre race – the third-place finish in that race going to Sasha Gollish, despite getting her left shoe knocked half off 150 metres into the contest.
