By Canadian Press

Olympic champ Mitchell races to her third cycling silver of the Commonwealth Games

Jul 31, 2022 | 12:50 PM

BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — A day after Kelsey Mitchell joked that she was “consistently silver,” Canada’s Olympic champion added one more.

The 28-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., won silver in track cycling’s 500-metre time trial on Sunday, and was pleased with the result in a race she rarely contests.

“It’s not a new experience for silver, but very happy with my performance,” Mitchell said. “I was one of the first to go and had to wait to see how everyone did.”

Kristina Clonan of Australia won the gold in a time of 33.234 seconds, edging the Canadian, who recorded a personal best 33.294.

“That was my first time having to sit and wait, it was an emotional roller-coaster,” Mitchell said. “It came down to the very last rider, I knew she’d be fast and it would be close. It was fun, that’s sport for you. I loved it.”

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Mitchell, who captured gold in the sprint at the Tokyo Olympics, won silver in that event in Birmingham, plus silver in the sprint team event with Sarah Orban and Lauriane Genest.

Canada picked up three bronze medals early on Day 3 of the Games. 

Tali Darsigny of Sainte-Hyacinthe, Que., was third in the women’s weightlifting 59-kilogram class.

“I’m super happy about my bronze. My goal here was to medal,” Darsigny said. “Post-Olympics, it’s been really hard, and I had a lack of motivation coming back from the Tokyo Olympics, it was a longer Olympic cycle with the five years instead of four. So, I had a little down and . . . it was harder, but I think I’m on my way up now.”

Jessica Tuomela of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and her guide Emma Skaug captured bronze in the Para triathlon, Canada’s first-ever medal in the event.

Tuomela, a former Paralympic swimmer who took up triathlons nine years ago, raced to a time of one hour 15 minutes 12 seconds with Skaug.

“We executed all three disciplines the way we wanted to,” Tuomela said. “The goal was to go out, be steady and get in a rhythm and stay there,” said Tuomela.

Emma Spence of Cambridge, Ont., won bronze in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics final.

“It was just so amazing,” Spence said of the crowd. “The energy and the atmosphere during the competition was just crazy. And it helped me so much.” 

Their medals bring Canada’s total to 15. The Canadian team is aiming for a top-three finish on the medal table at the Games, which close on Aug. 8.

The Canadian women’s 3×3 basketball team beat England 13-8 to conclude pool play.

Tamara Steeves had a game-high seven points.

“I got open because my teammates got me open,” said Steeves. “They were double-teaming Kady Dandeneau early, which set me up for high-percentage shots on my layups. I was mostly consistent on my layups today, so I think that worked in our favour, and we came out with the win.”

Dandeneau added five points and nine rebounds.

The semifinals are Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2022.

The Canadian Press