From the pool to the track and beyond, Canada made history at the Paris Olympics | CBC Sports

In a race few picked Canada to win, Andre De Grasse anchored the men’s 4x100m relay team to gold for the first time in nearly 30 years.

They qualified for the final with the slowest time, running in a less-than-ideal lane. But these four men never gave up on each other, and their chemistry helped them become Olympic relay champions.

“I never stopped believing,” said gold medallist Aaron Brown. “These guys can do incredible things when we get together and put our minds to it.”

It was the latest chapter in the story of one of Canada’s greatest Olympians. De Grasse is now tied with swimmer Penny Oleksiak as the most decorated Canadian Olympian of all time with seven medals, and his story is still being written.

It was also a reminder of the magic of the Olympics. If you have a lane, you have a chance, and anyone can write a great story that Canadians will remember forever.

WATCH | De Grasse and the relay team’s stunning comeback:

And Canada’s athletes have written many great stories in these Summer Games, which officially end with the closing ceremony on Sunday. Canada has earned 27 medals, including nine gold. It’s more than any other non-boycotted Summer Games, and the majority have been won by women, which isn’t a new trend.

It started on day one with Summer McIntosh, the 17-year-old swimming sensation who raced American legend Katie Ledecky for silver in the women’s 400m freestyle.

“I remember watching the 2016 Olympics and just being inspired [by] everyone on Team Canada,” McIntosh said after winning her third gold medal of the Games, in the 200-metre individual medley.

“But growing up since the age of seven or eight, it’s always been a dream of mine to make an Olympic team and to now have medals to my name is pretty incredible.”

WATCH | Paris 2024 just the beginning for McIntosh:

For Summer McIntosh, Paris 2024 is only the beginning

From nerves to surprises to national pride, Summer McIntosh reflects on her experience in Paris and is already looking ahead to what she’ll bring to the pool in 2028.

Ilya Kharun and Josh Liendo became the first Canadian men to earn swimming medals since 2012, while Kylie Masse cemented her legacy in the pool as the only Canadian swimmer to win individual medals at three consecutive Games.

History made

Canadians made history in a number of sports during these Games, including some that haven’t always been Canada’s strength.

Christa Deguchi won the country’s first gold medal in judo, three years after missing the cut for Tokyo and almost walking away from the sport for good.

Eleanor Harvey won Canada’s first fencing medal, earning bronze in the women’s individual foil, while Philip Kim (known as Phil Wizard onstage) became the first B-Boy to win gold in that sport’s Olympic debut.

Alysha Newman overcame injuries to make her first pole vault final in five years en route to winning bronze — the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic pole vault medal.

“It’s the start of something amazing for Canadian pole vaulters,” Newman said.

Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers won gold in both men’s and women’s hammer throw. That sport has long been dominated by European athletes, but that is changing.

The Olympic dream for Rogers began after watching Canadian women compete in the sport in London in 2012.

What these athletes did at these Games could spark a dream for the next great judoka, hammer thrower or fencer.

Beyond inspiring the next generation, athletes who are leaving Paris with medals are making some extra cash, on top of the added visibility that could help earn needed sponsorships.

WATCH | Olympic gold medallist Rogers wants to share beauty of hammer throw:

Olympic champion Camryn Rogers wants to share ‘beauty’ of hammer throw

Fresh off her gold medal performance, securing Canada’s second gold in hammer throw at Paris 2024, Camryn Rogers says she wants to grow the sport and share its beauty. 

The agony of defeat

The margin between victory and defeat can often be thin, and that was no different at these Games. 

Katie Vincent became the first Canadian woman to be crowned Olympic champion in canoe-kayak, after finishing 0.01 second ahead of American Nevin Harrison in the C-1 200m canoe sprint.

That’s the same margin that separated Edmonton’s Marco Arop from victory on the track. Arop took home silver in the 800m.

WATCH | Arop reflects on capturing silver:

Marco Arop reflects on capturing Olympic silver in men’s 800m at Paris 2024

Marco Arop of Edmonton discusses his performance in the men’s 800-metre final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Arop claimed silver with a Canadian record time of 1:41.20.

Medal favourites Damian Warner (decathlon) and Sarah Mitton (shot put) saw their dreams slip away — Warner when he no-heighted on the pole vault, and Mitton by fouling out on a rainy day inside the Stade de France.

All three of Canada’s basketball teams felt the sting of defeat, after high hopes.

Many counted the Canadians out after the scandal resulted in a six-point penalty by FIFA. The Canadians came back to defeat New Zealand, then rallied again to beat France.

“We’re not cheaters,” Canadian defender Vanessa Gilles said through tears after the France game. “We’re damn good players. We’re a damn good team. We’re a damn good group and we proved that today.”

The Canadians completed a perfect group stage by beating Colombia 1-0, but the magic ran out against Germany.

“I want them to remember this group of players for never backing down,” veteran Janine Beckie said after the loss. “It would have been really easy for us to throw the towel in, in the first game. But we didn’t.”

Return of the Olympic spirit

It all played out in front of thousands of fans. After two Olympic Games with COVID restrictions, including no fans in the stands, athletes got to draw energy from the roar of crowds — and to celebrate with their friends and family.

Organizers promised these Games would be a party and a spectacle, and it certainly lived up to that promise.

There’s no better example of that than Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson going for beach volleyball gold under the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower in front of more than 11,000 fans.

WATCH | Primetime panel catches up with Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson after earning silver:

Primetime panel catches up with silver medallists Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes

Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes make history and become Canada’s first-ever Olympic beach volleyball silver medallists.

The duo ultimately earned silver, better than any other team has done in the sport at the Games, and the first Canadian women to earn medals in beach volleyball. They did it by battling back from the lucky loser round, never wanting to give up.

“It’s been a big team effort and great to finally have something reflect the amount of work that’s been put in, no matter the medal and the material results,” Wilkerson said. “We have a piece of history that lasts forever.”

McIntosh will have a chance to create more history under the bright lights of SoFi Stadium, home to the NFL’s LA Chargers and LA Rams. 

De Grasse has said he’d like to compete in another Olympics, and there’s plenty of talent coming behind him on the track, including Audrey Leduc and Christopher Morales Williams.

“I’m always striving for more and I always want more, and I think that’s what keeps me in the sport is the job is not finished,” McIntosh said.

The closing ceremony is set for 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.