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Oakville native Lee Parkhill brings home gold at the 2023 Pan American games in Santiago, Chile in Sunfish Sailing.
The 34-year-old took to the waters multiple times in various races, scoring points that placed him second leading up to the medal-deciding race. Parkhill thought he was second in the medal race, but managed to win enough points to claim gold, finishing three points ahead of Jean Paul de Trazegnie of Peru.
"That was definitely the goal coming in, a long week and very close competition, so [I’m] happy to get it done," said Parkhill in a post-race interview with Hayley McGoldrick.
This marks Parkhill's second medal at a Pan American Games, winning bronze at the 2015 Pan American Games held in Canada.
Parkhill also competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing 23rd in men's laser at the games his Olympic debut.
With Parkhill's gold medal and the other Canadian sailors at the Pan American Games, Canada comes home with four medals in sailing, the best haul for the country since the 2003 Pan American Games held in Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic.
