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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 16, 2015 | 10 Oakville kayaker wins second straight Pan Am gold by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Inspiration can come in mysterious ways. Just ask Oakville resident KC Fraser, who was feeling pressure to win Pan Am kayaking gold on her country's home waters -- until she thought about what her great-grandfather had once had to do. "He had to kill a bear with a hatchet out on a lake because it had got stuck in a trap. Then he had to carry it. And he was 60 years old when he did this. He had to put the bear out of its misery, because it wasn't meant for the bear," Fraser recalled. "I wanted to (win gold) for this country and everybody, and I wanted to do it for my kids. If their kids ever got scared, they could say `Yeah, you're scared, but this is what your greatgrandmother did. She got a Pan Am medal, she toughed it out and gave it her all." Fraser authored a great story for her future family Saturday in Welland, Ont., helping her Canadian women's kayaking fours 500-metre team win the country's first gold medal of the Pan Am Games. Fraser, Hannah Vaughan (Dartmouth, N.S.), Michelle Russell (Fall River, N.S.) and Emilie Fournel (Lachine, Que.) crossed the finish line in a time of 1:36.495, more than one second ahead of second-place Cuba. It was the second K-4 500m gold in as many Pan Am Games for Fraser, the only returnee from the squad that won the 2011 event in Oakville's KC Fraser beams with pride after winning Pan Am Games gold in the women's kayaking fours 500-metre event Saturday in Welland, Ont. | photo by Eric Riehl -- Metroland Media Group Guadalajara, Mexico. "This one was totally different," said the 29-year-old Fraser, who was born in Pierrefond, Que., and moved to Oakville at the age of 16. "When we did it in Mexico, it was at the end of the competition. We were trying to qualify for the Olympics, it was more of a stressful event. When it happened, it was great, but we didn't get as much publicity and cheering from the teammates because there weren't that many Canadians there. "What I loved about this one is that you could hear the cheering from the beginning, all the way to the end. Oh my gosh, it was amazing," added Fraser, whose family members drove from as far away as Thunder Bay to see her compete. Both of Fraser's Pan Am golds nearly didn't happen. Frustrated and disillusioned by often coming close but not quite making the national team, the former Burloak Canoe Club paddler quit the sport during her university years. Fraser joined Toronto's Balmy Beach Canoe Club in 2009 to train under Hungarian coach Peter Martinek, and made the national team six months later. "When I came back from university, what was different was that I was willing to sacrifice everything. That's something I always tell people wanting to make the team: if you really want something, you have to drop everything else and just do that one thing," said Fraser, who braved traffic each morning to drive from Oakville to Toronto for training. "I wanted it before, but I had so many other things going on. It wasn't until I was super focused and training every day (that I reached my goal)." Fraser was edged out by Fournel three years ago for Canada's lone women's kayak entry in the London Olympics, when Canada didn't qualify a women's K-2 or K-4 boat. She and her K-4 teammates hope to qualify for Rio 2016 next month at the world championships, where they'll need to either finish in the top 10 overall or be the top representative of the four best continents. "(Pan Ams) was a test run for worlds. These girls (from Pan American countries) are getting good," the White Oaks high school grad said. "Winning is a big deal for us and gives us a confidence boost." A fusion of JApAnese & Chinese Cuisine in the heArt of oAkville! ceLebrate suMMer at auGust 8 Dine in for All You cAn eAt lunCh or Dinner www.August8.cA 7 DAYs A week 5 Locations to serve you better! oAkville 280 north service road W. @ Dorval al 905-338-6228 BurlinGton 834 Brant Street AyA Kitchens of oAKville 1195 north service roAd west We Do tAkeout! hAMilton 1W Wilson Street · 1066 Upper James St. stoneY Creek 835 Paramount Drive 10% off Dinner only. Cash only & with this ad. 905.847.1522 ayaoakville.com