As the sun sets in the Yukon on another successful Winter Games, what’s left is the reflection of all the athletes on their hard work and determination that brought them this far. There were tears and celebrations, but most importantly, there are the lifetime if memories for everyone.
Ontario came away with 112 medals (37 Gold, 35 Silver, 40 Bronze), second to Quebec’s 122. However, Ontario by far was the winner with a few other prestigious awards:
1. Canada Games Flag
Ontario acquired 310 points to Québec’s 305 points (CWG ranking system) to win the flag. The Canada Games Flag incorporates the official Canada Games logo. In that logo, all provinces and territories coming together for the Games are represented by a gold ring encircling a maple leaf. The ring also symbolizes continuity, stability and strength, with the colour gold representing the quest for excellence. At the end of the Games, the province or territory with the greatest number of points from all events is declared the champion and presented with the Canada Games Flag.
From the 1967 Canada Winter Games up to and including the 2007 Canada
Winter Games, Team Ontario has won the Canada (Winter) Games Flag eight (8) out of eleven (11) Canada Winter Games. In the remaining three (3) Canada Winter Games, Team Ontario placed second to Quebec.
2. Oshawa’s Jerome Gabriel Flag Carrier.
Motor City’s Jerome Gabriel was chosen from over 2000 Ontario athletes to carry the Canada Games Flag into the venue during the closing ceremonies. What an honour indeed!! Congratulations Jerome.
3. Centennial Cup
Team Ontario placed second in the Cup standing. The top honor was given to Saskatchewan. At the end of a Canada Games, the Centennial Cup is awarded to the province or territory that makes the greatest improvement from Summer Games to Summer Games or Winter Games to Winter Games. In determining the change in a province’s improvement from Games to Games, each province’s performance in a sport is compared to its performance in the last Games.
4. Claude Hardy Award
Team Ontario Mission Team was presented with the Claude Hardy Award on March 10. This is Team Ontario Mission Team’s first Claude Hardy Award. Claude Hardy, who passed away on December 5, 1999, was a pioneer of the Canada Games from their very beginning. Claude’s first involvement with the Canada Games was as an athlete at the inaugural Canada Games in Québec City in 1967. In 1969, he was a coach for Team Québec at the Canada Summer Games in Halifax-Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. And from 1971 to 1999, excluding only the 1975 and 1979 Canada Winter Games, Claude Hardy led Team Québec as Chef de Mission. His last Games were the 1999 Winter Games in Corner Brook where it was announced that, at each edition of the Games, an award in his name would serve to recognize a provincial or territorial Mission Team who best exhibits leadership, cooperation, integrity and esprit de corps. The first Claude Hardy Award was presented at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2001 Canada Summer Games in London.
A special thank you goes to our Coaches:
Josh Canty, Don Nelson & Steve Wilcox
Your dedication and leadership is appreciated. Boxing Ontario is proud to celebrate coaches like you!
Missed the boxing action last week? Scroll below to see a detailed recap of the events.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Finals – Results
Kenny Lamoureux (QC) def.Steve Wilcox (ON)93-87
Jean-Philppe Cyr (QC) loss.Zishan Khan (ON)29-33
Josh Cameron (ON)def. Mponda Kalunga-Loksa (NL) 33-13 (DNF)
Jerome Gabriel (ON)def. Tommy Szikinger (BC) 31-11 (DNF)
ONTARIO MEDALISTS
GOLD
60 kg Zishan Khan – Champion Boxing Club, Brampton
64 kg Josh Cameron – Border City Boxing Club, Windosr
75 kg Jerome Gabriel – Motor City Boxing Club, Oshawa
SILVER
57 kg Steve Wilcox – Steeltown Boxing Club, Hamilton
BRONZE
51 kg Jermaine Badchkam – McGrory’s Boxing Club, Hamilton
69 kg Jordan Letestu – Big Tyme Boxing Club, Orangeville
91 kg Kyle Matuk – Motor City Boxing Club, Oshawa
Thursday, March 8, 2007
One more Ontario Junior male will join the others in Friday’s finals. Zishan Khan simply destroyed his opponent in his last effort to capture glory. River Davidson of Manitoba could not deny the experience and determination of this ‘Champion’ boxer. Jordan Letestu came out quite disappointed in his semi final against Saskatchewan. Stuart Twardzik, who made his debut appearance at the Brampton Cup this past February, just would not let Jordan get the upper hand to edge into the final. Great effort goes out to you Jordan!
Friday’s Finals will feature: Zishan Khan-Champion Boxing Club, Jerome Gabriel-Motor City Boxing Club, Josh Cameron-Border City Boxing Club, & Steven Wilcox-Steeltown Boxing Club
Semi-Finals 2 – Results
River Davidson (MB) loss. Zishan Khan (ON) 31-46
Jordan Letestu (ON) loss. Stuart Twardzik (SK) 43-60
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
It is coming down to the wire as Ontario loses two more contenders. In last nights first round of semi finals, Jermaine Badchkam suffered a devastating 32-35 loss to Quebec. Also, Kyle Matuk fell to his Quebec opponent. Kyle made a valiant effort to win his 39-21 decision bout. They now join Colin Fish and Eyobe Amberber in cheering on his fellow teammates. Ontario is certainly proud of their efforts and athleticism at the Games.
Steven, Josh, and Jerome each proved yet once again that Ontario is still in the running to claim National Gold for themselves and their team. These three gentlemen will move on to the next and most important round: The Finals. In Thursday night’s second round of semis, we will see if Zishan Khan and Jordan Lestestu can hold on and stop their opponents.
Semi Finals 1 – Results
Jermaine Badchkam (ON) loss. Kenny Lally (BC) 32-35
Zafer Sacranie (MB) loss. Steven Wilcox (ON) 26-54
Josh Cameron (ON) def. Mikael Zewski (QC) 38-24
Jerome Gabriel (ON) def. Tommy Szikinger (BC) 31-11(DNF)
Simon Kean (QC) def. Kyle Matuk (ON) 39-21
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Tuesday night was very interesting indeed. With 4 out of 6 bouts won, our Ontario junior boys are not discouraged by seeing some of their comrade’s fall. This set back only fuels the fire even more to win for their teammates. Eyobe Amberber provided a valiant fight but could not overcome his Quebec opponent. Colin Fish was having a good fight against Robert Sherman of Alberta, Colin landed an overhand right and KO’d Sherman in the 3rd but as Sherman was falling, Colin threw another punch and subsequently was disqualified for the foul. Ontario coach Don Nelson is in the midst of protesting this foul. Stay tuned for its outcome.
Results
Angus McNeilly (AB) vs Josh Cameron (ON) 23-31
Eyobe Amberber (ON) vs. Chris Plaitis(QC) 11-25
Mario Carranza (PEI) vs. Jerome Gabriel (ON) (DNF) 0-18
Colin Fish (ON) vs. Robert Sherman (AB) (DSQ) 19-18
Shaun Alphonso (NL) vs. Zishan Khan (ON) (DNF) 4-26
Jordan Letestu (ON) vs. Jagdeep Seehra (BC) 55-35
Monday, March 5, 2007
Last night was the first round of boxing for the Ontario Junior team. The boys did amazing and sent an early message to the nation that they a force to reckon with. Ontario went 5 FOR 5, with 4 out of the 5 bouts resulting in stoppages.
Results:
Jermaine Ricardo Badchkam (ON) vs. Kevin Lavallée (QC) 31 – 10 RSCO-3rd
Matt Thomas Bulteel (BC) vs. Steven Ross Wilcox (ON) 3 – 23 RSCO-3rd
Brandt Anthony Keir Butt (MB) vs. Joshua duncan Cameron (ON) 29 – 38 points
Jordan Taylor Letestu (ON) vs. CORY MYLES MACDONALD (PE) 22 – 2 RSCO-1st
Anthony Francis Louison (SK) vs. Kyle David Michal Matuk (ON) 16 – 34 RSCH-3rd
