Canadian judokos won four gold medals at the Pan American Cup in Montreal on Saturday, continuing their strong start to the tournament.
The host nation secured seven medals overall on the opening day, according to Sportcom.
Frascadore Repeats as Home Champion
Julien Frascadore defended his Pan American Cup title in the men’s 66 kg category, repeating his victory almost exactly one year after his previous win in Montreal. The Quebec-based athlete defeated his training partner and compatriot, Luke Thomson, in the final to claim gold.
“It’s always special to fight in front of my family and friends,” Frascadore said after receiving his medal. “Every time I have this opportunity, it adds a certain pressure, but it’s important to be able to perform with that pressure and I succeeded today.”
Julien Frascadore remporte sa médaille d'or en judo et l'hymne canadien retentit au 8e jour des J…
The final was a closely contested battle between teammates. Frascadore secured an early advantage with a waza-ari score and played defensively for the remainder of the four-minute match to preserve his lead. He successfully defended against Thomson’s attacks to take the victory.
Frascadore praised his opponent in the final. “It was a huge challenge in the final,” he said. “Not only is Luke a tough opponent, but we know each other inside and out because we train together every day.”
He expressed his satisfaction with sharing the podium with a friend. “The goal is always to have as many Canadians as possible on the podium, and I’m really happy to finish the day with Luke by my side.”
Canadian Men Secure Podiums
Julien Frascadore « ne pourrait pas être plus heureux » après avoir remporté l'or en judo aux Jeu…
Two other Canadian men reached the finals on Saturday but settled for silver medals. Vincent Nepton fought in the under-60 kg category, while Fahd Fithane competed in the under-73 kg division, both falling short in their respective gold medal matches.
In the men’s under-73 kg bracket, Frédéric De Cardaillac earned a bronze medal, adding another podium finish to Canada’s day.
Julien Frascadore remporte l'OR dans l'épreuve de judo masculin des 66 kg lors du 8e jour des Jeu…
Biron Claims Women’s Gold
On the women’s side, Laurence Bion won gold in the under-63 kg category, marking another successful day for Canadian judo. Biron secured her gold medal with a yuko score against Lea Wyss of Liechtenstein in the final.
Like Frascadore, Biron adopted an early-game strategy, scoring quickly and maintaining control. “I was really confident going into that final match,” Biron said. “I scored a yuko and then I just managed the fight well. I was in full control, followed my game plan, and I’m really happy to win here at home in Montreal.”
Biron’s path to the final involved defeating her Canadian teammates, Dilana Gesa and Carla Van Zyl. She noted the difficulty of facing training partners. “My biggest challenge today was sticking to my game plan,” Biron explained. “When facing Dilana and Carla, I couldn’t try new things. It’s difficult to outmaneuver someone you know so well, so I made sure to stay in control to get the wins.”
Van Zyl had a chance to rebound in the repechage and secured the bronze medal in the under-63 kg category with a victory over Ukrainian Valeria Kravchuk.
“I’m very happy to finish with Carla on the podium,” Biron concluded. “It’s always special to win a medal with a teammate, but it’s even more special at home.”
Tournament Continues Sunday
The Canadian team, which has collected seven medals so far in the senior competition, will look to add more on Sunday, the final day of the Pan American Cup. The event will feature competitions in seven weight categories.
Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.
