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Second part of our summer sports diary. After the team sports competitions, this time it’s about individual sports with a dense international program in various disciplines and always with reference to Francophonie and Ontario.
Athletics king of the summer
Athletics is more than ever the individual sport of the summer. Three events are under scrutiny: the Toronto marathon this Sunday, the Ottawa marathon as part of the Tamarak race weekend on May 27th and 28th and of course the World Championships, which are held in Budapest from May 19th to August 27th take place.
Unmissable summer events, marathons, in addition to sporting excellence, are an opportunity to discover great stories. We will not fail to look for Franco-Ontarians who will participate in these two events.
On the performance side, the two events qualify for the Boston Marathon. A mythical course where the Outaouaise Lynda Gingras, the fourth best Canadian in Massachusetts, shone. Back in her home country, she will attend the Ottawa event at the end of May. Also a triathlete, we will find her at the World Long Distance Triathlon Championship on May 7th in Ibiza.
If at the World Athletics Championships the majority of French-speaking athletes remain from Quebec, it will be necessary to send the Franco-Ontarian Jacqueline Madogo, member of the 4x100m relay who qualified after the Nigerian team was disqualified for doping in extremis, to follow very closely.
Woods back on the streets of France
Not far behind athletics, cycling is the other flagship sport of the summer. Even if the competitions in the different tours in each country are extremely numerous, the Tour de France, which takes place from June 30th to July 22nd, is obviously the most famous and the most awaited. A name to follow on the Franco-Ontarian side, that of Michael Woods. The only French-speaking Canadian in the peloton, who fell victim to a horrific fall during the 2022 edition, was set to return to the Grande Boucle with his Israel Premier Tech team.
In swimming, from August 1 to 6 in Toronto, qualifying for the 2024 World Championships is an important date for Nina Kutcheran in the 100 meter and 200 meter breaststroke, her favorite disciplines. Among the francophones who have a chance to shine and qualify, we must keep in mind Katerine Savard and Mary-Sophie Harvey, as well as Aurélie Rivars and Nicolas-Guy Turbide among the para-athletes.
After an already busy summer, 18 male and 18 female swimmers selected by Swimming Canada will represent the country at the Pan American Games October 15-21 in Santiago, Chile. Ottawa young swimmer who made a strong impression at the Canada Games with a record 11 medals, Julie Brousseau, is part of the selection. She was called up to replace Rebecca Smith, who withdrew from selection.
The cream of world tennis in Toronto
We return to Toronto, but this time in tennis. The highly anticipated Canada Open will take place from August 5th to 13th. Each year, the men’s and women’s competitions alternate between Toronto and Montreal. For this 2023 edition, it will be the men’s tournament, taking place in the Queen City with the headliner on the Canadian side, Félix Auger-Aliassime, ranked 9th in the world. On the women’s side, for Montreal, we’re following the performances of British Columbia-raised Toronto native Rebecca Marino, currently ranked 79th in the world.
As a team, the men will defend their Davis Cup title from November 21st to 26th in Malaga. For Leylah Fernandez and her teammates on the women’s team, who just won their qualification for the finals, the Billie Jean King Cup takes place from November 7th to 12th.
Toronto’s golf elite
Another major international competition will be held in Ontario, although it will not necessarily feature Franco-Ontarian athletes. This is the RBC Canadian Open, PGA Tour Golf Tournament (Men’s) taking place June 6-11 in Toronto.
To admire Ottawa’s Brooke Henderson’s performances on Canadian soil, however, one must travel to British Columbia with the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, taking place August 21-27 in Vancouver. The Smiths Falls native moved the crowds last year for the competition, which was held in Ottawa, so at home. We hope to have just as much support for them on the west coast!
Of course, this list of events is not exhaustive and it is impossible to cover every single sport. We’re keeping an eye on the summer seasons of track cyclist Vincent de Haître and wrestler Linda Morais.
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