CANADA'S successful run at the 2007 Summer Universiade in Bangkok, Thailand, is over as the Games wrapped up Saturday.
Simon Fraser University's Melanie Matthews led the team into the closing ceremonies as flag-bearer as the Canadian contingent celebrated its best showing at Universiade since 1991 in Buffalo, N.Y.
Canada won 16 medals in Bangkok, the most since Buffalo, when Canada took home 40 medals.
Canada finished 11th overall in the Universiade medal count. Russia topped the 141 countries present with 92 medals. China was second with 87, but boasted the most gold with 32. Ukraine had 66 to finish third.
"I said at the beginning of these Games that I didn't want to evaluate our success based solely on the number of medals we won," said Canadian chef de mission Gilles Lépine of Laval University in a statement. "What I said to the athletes was: Perform the best you can, enjoy the event and the experience and be respectful to our hosts. I think we achieved those goals. So, to also win medals, it's just a great bonus."
On the final day of competition, Canada's men's volleyball squad chipped in to the medal count with a silver, while the men's basketball team added a bronze.
Three Bisons
Canada faced Turkey in the gold-medal final in volleyball and lost 3-1 (25-11, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21). The silver medal was Canada's first since Edmonton in 1983, and was shared by three members of the University of Manitoba Bisons volleyball squad. The U of M's Josh Klassen, Toon van Lankvelt and Nathan Toews played for Canada in that medalling effort.
Fellow Bison Ashley Voth helped Team Canada to an 11th-place finish in women's volleyball.
Bisons track and field coach Claude Berube led Team Canada in track and field.
The men's basketball team crowned its Games competition with the come-from-behind 90-84 bronze win against Japan. Canada was down at one point by 20 points.
-- CanWest News Service
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