After two weeks of stiff competition at the 2012 Pan American Junior Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, both the men's and women's junior national field hockey teams won silver medals and also berths to the 2013 Junior World Cup.
Vancouver's Gordon Johnston scored the first goal 15 minutes into the final match on Sunday (Sept. 23) against Argentina, who eventually took over to end the game 3-2.
Sam Jones, Matthew Sarmento, Paul Wharton and goaltender Tristan Burgoyne were among the Vancouver-based players who helped the men's under-21 team to its best performance since yet another second-place finish in 1985.
Three days earlier, the women's team also lost to the always-dangerous Argentina, this time by a score of 2-1. Vancouver's Caashia Karringten, Kendra Perrin, Poonam Sandhu and goaltender Natasha Ford were among those who helped the women's national team to its first Pan American Championship final in 15 years.
The Junior World Cup, only held once every four years, is slated to take place in November 2013 in India.
RUNNING FOR A CURE
Thousands of runners clad in pink shirts will once again be taking to the downtown core next Sunday (Sept. 30) as part of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.
Last year, roughly 10,000 people took part in either the one-km or five-km event while helping to raise $1.8 million for breast cancer research and awareness programs. Vancouver is one of 58 participating cities of the annual run, which last year raised a nationwide total of more than $30 million. Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. at Concord Pacific Place.
"It is not too late for people to participate and fundraise for the event," said run director Scott Johnson in a press release. Breast cancer remains the most common form of cancer diagnosed in Canadian women. An estimated 22,700 women in Canada will be diagnosed this year, and around 5,100 will die. For more information on how to donate or participate, visit cbcf.org.
MERALOMA FALL TO JAMES BAY
Meraloma Rugby Club suffered its first loss of the new CDI Premier League season on Saturday (Sept. 22) at Connaught Park with a 2824 loss to James Bay Athletic Association. The Lomas, which made the Rounsefell Cup finals last season before falling to the Castaway Wanderers, gave the visitors a 20-9 half-time lead before launching a desperate comeback attempt in the second.
"We lost the game in the first half," said Meraloma coach Angel Cividanes in a release. "We missed too many tackles and had too many errors. We came back with a better attitude in the second half but the hill was too big to climb."
In the final play of the game, Meraloma winger Mike Hall sprinted down the sideline and appeared to go over the line for a gamewinning try, but was called for stepping out of bounds. The team next plays Sept. 29 against Burnaby Lake Rugby Club at 2: 45 p.m.
