Zak Madell of Okotoks, Alta., scored 30 of his team's 46 tries as Canada surged into the wheelchair rugby semifinals at the 2023 Parapan Am Games with a 46-41 win over the archrival United States on Tuesday. Madell (33) passes the ball during wheelchair rugby mixed match 13 against the U.S.A., at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Santiago 2023, Photosport, Dragomir Yankovic, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
SANTIAGO, Chile – Zak Madell of Okotoks, Alta., scored 30 of his team’s 46 tries as Canada surged into the wheelchair rugby semifinals at the 2023 Parapan Am Games with a 46-41 win over the archrival United States on Tuesday.
Canada finished the preliminary round at 5-0 after successfully facing its toughest test yet at the Games.
The U.S., which entered the preliminary-round finale for both teams at 4-0, led 12-11 after the first period. But Canada took its first lead of the game when Madell scored three seconds before halftime to put the Canadians up 23-22.
Canada maintained a slim lead throughout much of the third quarter before pulling away in the fourth. Mike Whitehead of Windsor, Ont., scored his third try of the game to cap Canada’s scoring and secure the win.
Cody Caldwell of Peterborough, Ont., (five tries), Trevor Hirschfeld of Parksville, B.C., (three) and Toronto’s Rio Kanda Kovac (one) rounded out the scoring for Canada.
Sarah Adam led the U.S. with 20 tries.
The semifinals take place Wednesday, with the medal games on Thursday.
Canada had to wait until the end of Tuesday’s competition to learn its semifinal opponent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2023.
