Canadian athletes won nine medals, including four gold, on Saturday, the first day of the Pan American Games. This winning streak began when Gunnar Holmgren and Jennifer Ming Jackson won gold in their mountain bike cross-country competitions.

In the men’s event, 24-year-old Holmgren beat Chile’s Martin Vidaurre by 53 seconds.

Jose Gabriel Marques de Almeida of Brazil gained more than two minutes on Holmgren and took third place on the podium.

Holmgren took the lead on the third lap of seven and held it until the end, at the Catholic University Sports Club track in northeast Santiago.

Gunnar is the brother of the Holmgren twins, who achieved a double victory at the Junior Gravel World Championships.

In the women’s race, Jennifer Ming Jackson took first place with a clear lead of 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The Chilean Catalina Maria Vidaurre Kossman and the Brazilian Raiza Goulao Henrique complete the podium.

Canada won six more medals, first with a double victory in the 100 m breaststroke.

Rachel Nicol won the race in 1 minute and 07.28 seconds, 0.27 seconds ahead of her compatriot Sophie Gretchen Angus.

In the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay, the Canadian team consisting of Mary-Sophie Harvey, Brooklyn Douthwright, Hannah MacNeil and Katerine Savard won in 3:37.75 ahead of the Americans and Brazilians.

Their colleagues Javier Acevedo, Édouard Fullum-Huot, Stephen Calkins and Finlay Knox won bronze in 3:15.83 behind the Brazilians and the Americans.

Diver Caeli McKay also placed third in her first event of the Games, the 10-meter dive, with a score of 335.65. She was beaten by a Mexican duo, Gabriela Agundez (361.55) and Alejandra Orozco (340.80).

“My goal today was really to win, but I also can’t be disappointed,” McKay said. I was very nervous, but I overcame the odds and I’m very proud of it. It was a big day with a lot of emotions and I will sleep well tonight.

Her compatriot Celina Toth took 11th place with a score of 247.75.

The Canadian men’s artistic gymnastics team, which had already qualified for the Paris Olympics, continued its momentum with a silver medal in Saturday’s competition.

In Taekwondo, Canada’s Tae-Ku Park took bronze in the 68kg category. In the small final he defeated the Cuban Angel Fernandez Marin 2-0.

In beach volleyball, Canadian duo Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson earned their first win in straight sets against Sol Acuna Ramos and Maria Isabel Bianchi Wilkinson of Argentina.

In racquetball, Quebec’s Frédérique Lambert defeated Chile’s Paula Javiera Mansilla 3-0 to reach the round of 16. She will also compete in doubles and mixed doubles.

Boxer Keven Emmanuel Beauséjour defeated Chilean Julia Alamos Mumbrun in the 80kg category.

With information from The Canadian Press