Canada names Modern Pentathlon team for Pan Am Games
Canada's modern pentathlon team for the Pan Am Games features five Olympians, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Pentathlon Canada announced Thursday.
Melanie McCann or Mount Carmel, Ont., and Donna Vakalis of Toronto, both competed at the 2012 London Games. While Joshua Riker-Fox of Delacour, Alta., Hilary Elliott of Ingersoll, Ont., and Garnet Stevens of Rockland, Ont., bring experience from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"It is such an honour to be representing Canada along with my teammates on home soil," said McCann, whose 11th-place finish at the London Olympics was the country's best ever performance in the event. "We will do everything in our power to show the Americas why Canada is a force to be reckoned with."
Canada has won four modern pentathlon in the history of the Pan Am Games. McCann narrowly missed the podium in Guadalarja, Mexico, finishing fourth in 2011.
Modern pentathlon consists of five events contested over a single day: fencing (épée), swimming (200m freestyle), equestrian (jumping), running, and shooting. Athletes earn points in the first three events (fencing, swimming, equestrian) after which their total point differentials are converted into time handicaps to determine the start order and time intervals for the combined running/shooting segment. In this final leg, athletes shoot at targets with laser pistols in four series separated by 800m runs. The first athlete across the finish line wins.
The modern pentathlon competition will take place at the Pan Am Aquatics Centre in Scarborough, Ont., July 18-19.
