Canada defeated Puerto Rico 3-1 Sunday to claim the bronze medal in the men’s volleyball tournament on the final day of the XVII Pan American Games in Toronto.
It was the second time the Canadians defeated Puerto Rico in the tournament. In all, Canada won four of five matches, with a semifinal defeat at the hands of Argentina the only blemish on its record. The third-place finish matched the best ever at the Pan Am Games for the Canadian men. Canada also won bronze in Winnipeg in 1999.
Argentina went on to win the gold medal, with a 3-2 win Sunday over Brazil.
Adam Simac, the former Queen’s Golden Gael on the Canadian team, did not play in Sunday’s match, but his medal is the 12th won at these Games by an athlete with a tie to Kingston.
Among the dozen were seven gold, by Kingston rowers Will Crothers (men’s eight and men’s four), Rob Gibson (men’s quadruple sculls) and Nicolas Pratt (men’s lightweight four); and rugby players Brittany Benn of Napanee and former’ Queen’s players Nadia Popov and Matt Mullins.
There were three silver, by sailor and Queen’s grad Terry McLaughlin (open J-24), Gibson (men’s single) and Aaron Doornekamp of Odessa (men’s basketball).
Simac’s bronze was second won by a Kingston-connected athlete. The other came from Kingston’s Kate Gillis (women’s field hockey).