The 2026 Senior Pan American Athletics Championships wrapped up on Sunday in Medellín, Colombia, with Canadian athletes winning 14 medals across track-and-field events, including six golds. Ottawa’s Eliezer Adjibi shocked sprint fans, recording the fourth-fastest Canadian 100m ever, but it wasn’t enough to take gold.
The inaugural Senior Pan Am Games flew under the radar this weekend amid a high-profile Diamond League meeting in Paris on Sunday and a historic Western States 100 on Saturday, but Canada’s team made the most of the opportunity with standout performances throughout the weekend.
Canadian sprinters led the medal haul over the weekend, delivering several standout performances.
Sprint dominance
Coming off his 200m silver and 100m bronze at the Canadian Track and Field Championships, Adjibi ran the fastest 100m by a Canadian this season and the fourth-fastest Canadian 100m ever, clocking 9.92 for silver. Colombia’s Ronal Longa took gold in front of the home crowd with an area-record 9.85.
Canadian women swept the sprints over the weekend. Ajax, Ont.’s Sadé McCreath continued her strong season to win the women’s 100m in 11.10. In the women’s 200m, Gatineau, Que.’s Audrey Leduc dominated the field, running 22.64 for the win, continuing to knock on the door of her own Canadian record of 22.34, which she said she hopes to lower this season.
In the long sprint, Ottawa’s Lauren Gale took the women’s 400m gold in a season’s best 50.68, edging out Puerto Rico’s Gabby Scott, who claimed second in 50.69. Rounding out the sprints for Canadian women was Tatiana Aholou of Laval, Que., who ran 12.69 to take silver in the 100m hurdles.
Mid-distance stars
Kitchener, Ont.’s Foster Malleck led the Canadian mid-distance contingent with a dominant victory in the men’s 1,500m, running 3:40.20 to finish more than four seconds ahead of Ecuador’s Gerson David Montes De Oca, who clocked 3:44.45. Scarborough, Ont.’s Abdullahi Hassan earned silver in the men’s 800m, clocking 1:45.17, just behind Brazil’s Eduardo Ribeiro, who won in 1:45.07.
Canada’s Foster Malleck took third at the 2026 BAA Mile. Photo: Nick Iwanyshyn
Ottawa’s Maëliss Trapeau dipped under two minutes in the women’s 800m for the first time this season, claiming bronze in 1:59.54.
Other standouts
Canada’s combined-event and throwing athletes also had a strong weekend, adding several medals to the team’s total
In the women’s hammer throw, Kingston, Ont.’s Jillian Weir won gold with a throw of 70.37m, while Aridrie, Alta.’s Jinaye Shomachuk finished second at 70.13m.
Two more Canadians found their way onto the podium in the women’s heptathlon, but they couldn’t take the win from home favourite María Fernanda Murillo of Colombia, who won with 6357 points. Sienna Macdonald of Airdrie took silver with 5974, and Toronto’s Madisson Lawrence rounded out the podium, scoring 5897.
For full competition results, go here.