Today is a proud day for Canadian athletes. No, I’m not talking about the Olympics. I’m referring to the World Ultimate Frisbee championships that concluded today in Vancouver. Canadian teams won gold in the Open (Men’s) and Mixed (Co-ed) divisions. The Open division final was the highlight with incredible displays of athleticism exceeding what I’ve seen so far in the Olympics.

In the Open final, the Canadian men’s team took on their American rivals. Despite being the underdogs, the Canadian team came out with an early lead due to some intense, high-energy play. As the rain started coming down and the wind picked up, the Americans began to resort to calling out fouls left, right and centre. Ultimate frisbee is a game without referees, where the rules are balanced to provide a fair system of play — assuming, of course, that players are displaying good sportsmanship. Time and again the Americans called fouls on legitimate defensive plays made by the Canadians. It was a shame to see such dispirited play. Fortunately, the Canadians really showed their class and shrugged off the controversial calls to prevail in the end 17-15. I was proud to see the Canadian side rise above the pettiness and carry the victory.