Double gold in mountain biking followed more gold medals in the pool launched Canada into the Pan American Games on Saturday.

Gunnar Holmgren of Orillia, Ont., claimed both the first gold medal by any athlete and the first for the Canadian team in Santiago, Chile, when he crossed the line first in the menB次元官网网址檚 cross-country mountain bike.

B次元官网网址淲e have a pretty unique opportunity to be one of the first events and I hope my performance can inspire and motivate the rest of the Canadians here,B次元官网网址� Holmgren said.

Canada capped the first day of medal events with four gold, two silver and three bronze for nine medals behind the United States (20) and Brazil (13) and Mexico (11).

HolmgrenB次元官网网址檚 teammate Jenn Jackson of Barrie, Ont., won the womenB次元官网网址檚 cross-country race.

Canadian swimmers finished one-two in womenB次元官网网址檚 100-metre breaststroke with Rachel Nichol of Lethbridge, Alta., taking gold and Sophie Angus of Weston, Conn., the silver.

The womenB次元官网网址檚 freestyle relay team of Marie-Sophie Harvey of Laval, Que., Brooklyn Douthwright of Riverview, N.B., Maggie Mac Neil of London, Ont., and Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., beat runner-up United States for gold.

TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Javier Acevedo, MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Edouard Fullum-Huot, CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Stephen Calkins and Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., combined for menB次元官网网址檚 freestyle relay bronze.

Gymnasts Zachary Clay of Orillia, Ont., William Emard and Felix Dolci of Laval, Que., Rene Cournoyer of Repentigny, Que., and Jayson Rampersad of Oakville, Ont., were silver medallists in the menB次元官网网址檚 team event.

WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Tae-Ku Park earned taekwondo bronze in the menB次元官网网址檚 68-kg class. Calgary diver Caeli McKay was a bronze medallist in the womenB次元官网网址檚 10-metre tower.

Holmgren, 24, posted a time of one hour 17 minutes 59 to beat Chilean silver medallist Martin Vidaurre Kossman by 53 seconds.

B次元官网网址淚 spent the first three laps just checking out where he was strong, where I was maybe a bit stronger and put it to work with two laps to go,B次元官网网址� the Canadian said. B次元官网网址淚 really fed off the Chilean crowd, they were amazing out there.B次元官网网址�

Jackson set a cracking pace off the start of the womenB次元官网网址檚 race. She held the lead all six laps to finish almost three minutes ahead of runner-up Catalina Mar铆a Vidaurre Kossmann of Chile.

B次元官网网址淥ff GunnarB次元官网网址檚 win, I had a lot of motivation coming into this race to race for a medal,B次元官网网址� said the 28-year-old Jackson. B次元官网网址淏ut then thereB次元官网网址檚 just that little bit of seeing one of your friends, someone youB次元官网网址檝e grown up riding with, achieve the best result they could here and have a life career performance. It just makes you believe, youB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址楢ll right itB次元官网网址檚 my turn, letB次元官网网址檚 get to it.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t was maybe the longest hour twenty of my life out there but I just got to the front, set my pace, tried to have a really calm ride, push where it was safe, just relax and make sure I wasnB次元官网网址檛 making any silly mistakes.B次元官网网址�