Canada's Shady El Nahas takes down Chile's Thomas Briceno during the men's 100kg judo gold medal match at the Pan American Games, in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
SANTIAGO, Chile – Shady El Nahas captured Pan American Games judo gold Monday in the men’s 100-kilogram class.
The 25-year-old from Toronto defeated Chile’s Thomas Briceno in the final by a match-ending ippon, which is defined as either a successful throw of an opponent onto his or her back, or a pin lasting 20 seconds.
After winning a bronze medal in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam late last week, El Nahas said he arrived in Santiago, Chile, feeling sore and injured.
“I came here and I was like ‘no injury, no time limit, no jet lag is going to stop me from winning’ and that was my goal and I’m glad I achieved it,” El Nahas said.
“I live by the code ‘dare to be great.’ I dared to be great today. I’m glad that Judo Canada got a gold medal and (also) Team Canada.”
El Nahas won Commonwealth Games gold in 2022 and placed fifth in the Olympic Games two years ago in Tokyo.
Also Monday, teenage surfer Sanoa Dempfle-Olin of Tofino, B.C., earned silver in the women’s event and provisionally qualified for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Vancouver’s Spencer Finn earned a bronze medal in men’s standup paddleboard surfing.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.
