CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had indicated the Newmarket swimmers had only earned three medals, missing bronze medals won by Brayden Taivassalo and Alexander Axon as part of relay teams. The story below has been edited to correct this error.
Newmarket swimmers are coming home as international medallists after performances at the Pan American Games this week.
Locals Danielle Hanus, Brayden Taivassalo and Alexander Axon all earned medals for performances at the competition in Chile. Hanus earned a gold medal as part of the Canadian 4 x 100-metre medley relay team, plus a bronze medal in 100 metre backstroke, while Taivassalo earned a silver in the 200-metre breaststroke and a bronze as part of the 400 x 100-metre medley relay team. Axon won bronze as part of the 200-metre freestyle relay team.
Made available as the swimming competition wrapped up, Taivassalo said it is special getting to compete in the games after watching them in Toronto in 2015.
“I’m glad I can pass that down, be part of that legacy,” Taivassalo said. “Super special to kind of give back.”
Canada’s swim team earned 25 medal finishes in all, including 11 gold, the most the country has ever won at a Pan Am Games outside of Canada.
“The Pan Am Games is a fantastic opportunity for a significant number of athletes, coaches and staff to get a games experience,” said John Atkinson, high-performance director and national coach, in a Swim Canada report. “Full respect to the athletes, the coaches, the support staff who really did their absolute best on this tour.”
Taivassalo said he knew the swimmer who finished ahead of him in the individual 200 metre race, Jacob Foster of the U.S., whom he trains with at the University of Texas.
He said he just focused on keeping competitive in the race.
“I love racing, so kind of just going out, making sure I stay in the fight, try to bring it home best I can,” he said.
The local expressed appreciation to his coaches in Newmarket, where he was a member of the Newmarket Stingrays swim club.
Taissavalo will be returning to Texas, where he said he will keep training and trying to improve as he continues to compete.
“Keep going faster,” he said, adding that he hopes to fare well in the next Canadian swim trials next year. “Whatever I’m doing seems to be working, so keep doing it.”
