Crowds Surge for Toronto Pan Ams -- On the Scene

Ticket sales up

With one week left in the games, Toronto 2015 organizers claim the one-millionth ticket has been sold and more than 300,000 tickets have been bought since the Games’ July 10 opening ceremony

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"We’re very pleased with that milestone, no question, and I don’t want to suggest that we knew all along," said TO2015 CEO Saad Rafi. "We certainly hoped that the region would respond and I think that’s the most heartening aspect of it."

TO2015 also said there have been 534,000 social media mentions of the Games, and that 16 million Canadians have watched some of the Games on CBC, Radio-Canada and their partners.

The Heat is On

Environment Canada issued a heat warning Sunday, forecasting daytime highs in the low 30 Celsius range, with a humidex of 40 Celsius.

It was expected to be a few degrees cooler by the Great Lakes’ shorelines. A few thunderstorms were "possible" in the afternoon and early evening ahead of a cold front.

"The cold front will pass through Southern Ontario this evening bringing an end to this heat episode. Monday will be a little cooler and less humid," said the official weather warning.

Games spectators were advised to drink plenty of water. Venues have free water bottle fill-up stations. Raafi said medical teams at venues and local hospitals were prepared for athletes and spectators suffering from heat-related illnesses.

King of the Games

Swimmer Thiago Pereira of Brazil became the most-decorated Pan American Games athlete in history with his 23rd medal on July 18, and he didn’t even get wet.

Pereira was a member of Brazil’s gold-medal winning 4 x 100 metre medley relay team. While he raced in qualifications, Pereira was not among the four who raced in the final. Pereira also won silver in the 200 m individual medley, finishing behind teammate Henrique Rodriguez.

Pereira’s 23rd medal beat Cuban gymnast Eric Lopez, who won his 22nd Pan Am medal in 2003 at Santo Domingo —the same Games where Pereira won his first medal as a 17-year-old.

The 29-year-old did not start in the 100 m butterfly and 100 m backstroke due to fatigue, calling it a "hard Games."

"I got my goal to give a medal to my country which is fighting hard to have better athletes," Pereira said.

Train Derails

Some Games spectators had trouble getting to Toronto on Saturday. A CN freight train derailed at 2:15 p.m. near Bowmanville, 63 kilometres northeast of Toronto. No injuries were reported, but it forced cancellation of all passenger service in both directions between Ottawa and Toronto and Montreal and Toronto. Passengers were offered alternate transportation.

Service resumed Sunday, but VIA Rail, the national passenger rail service, told passengers to expect delays.

"Delays are expected throughout the day due to imposed speed restrictions on the site and possible railway congestion," the company said in a news release on July 19.

Upcoming Highlights

Canada handily beat Puerto Rico 7-1 in a men’s baseball semifinal, earning a rematch with the United States, which edged Cuba 6-5.

First pitch in the gold medal game is 7 p.m. at President’s Choice Ajax Pan Am Ballpark.

The final round for golf is on at Angus Glen Golf Club.

In track cycling, women’s sprint, men’s team pursuit, men’s keiren and women’s omnium medals will be contested on the Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome.

Men’s sailing finals are at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club.

On Monday, the women’s bronze medal and gold medal basketball games are at Ryerson Athletic Centre.

Rhythmic gymnastics clubs, ribbon and group are at the Toronto Coliseum.

Men’s taekwondo 68 kg and women’s 57 kg finals are at the Mississauga Sports Centre.

Reported and written in Toronto by Bob Mackin