Jaida Lee becomes first female to pitch in Canada Games men’s competition

WELLAND, Ont. — Jaida Lee made history at the Canada Games on Monday, becoming the first female to play in the male baseball competition since it began in 1967.

Lee pitched 1 1/3 innings for Newfoundland and Labrador in a 17-7 loss to Alberta to kick off the day’s slate of games.

The 16-year-old from St. John’s, who was Newfoundland and Labrador’s flag-bearer in the opening ceremony, pitched a scoreless fourth inning, but Alberta came back with a six-run fifth to put the game away.

The baseball she threw will be enshrined in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.

In other results at the Games held in Ontario’s Niagara region, Quebec’s Mathis Beaulieu won the men’s sprint triathlon, with Daniel Damian of British Columbia taking silver and Tristen Jones of Ontario picking up bronze.

Colette Reimer of B.C. won the women’s event, with Ontario’s Anja Krueger second and Alberta’s Sophia Howell third.

Ontario’s Ava Holmgren won the women’s cross-country mountain bike, followed by B.C.’s Marin Lowe and Quebec’s Marie-Fay St-Onge.

Mia West of Winnipeg was thrilled to win Manitoba’s first gold of the Games, as she swam to victory in the 200-metre butterfly event. Teagen Purvis of Selkirk, Man., captured silver in the Special Olympics 50-metre breaststroke, and Halle West of Winnipeg won a bronze in the 50-metre breaststroke event.

Maxime St-Onge and Charles-Antoine St-Onge took the top two podium spots for Quebec in the men’s event, with Ontario’s Matthew Leliveld finishing third.

British Columbia, on the strength of one gold, eight silver and four bronze, leads the medal standings with 13. Ontario, with a Games-high nine golds, is next at 12. Alberta and Quebec each have eight medals, followed by Manitoba with four.

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador each have one medal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2022.

The Canadian Press