TORONTO - A year before the curtain goes up on the 2016 Rio Olympics, Canadas top summer athletes will be playing their hearts out on home soil. Vinny Curry Jersey .Toronto is hosting the 2015 Pan American Games — a direct Olympic qualifying event for many athletes, and a rare chance to compete in front of a Canadian crowd for virtually all of them.Canada is fielding its largest-ever Pan Am Games team of 700 athletes, and has set a goal of finishing second in the medals — behind perennial champion U.S. — with 160.Some 6,600 athletes from 41 countries will compete in 36 Pan Am sports — including 28 Olympic sports — plus 15 Parapan Am sports. Toronto beat out Lima, Peru and Bogota, Colombia, to host the Pan Ams, which run July 10-26. The Parapan Am Games are Aug. 7-14.Here are five Pan Am storylines to watch:The Road to Rio: When Canadas mens field hockey team edged Argentina in a sudden-death shootout at the 2007 Pan Ams in Rio, it clinched the Canadians a spot in the Beijing Games. It was one of the most memorable moments of Rio.Any time an Olympic berth is on the line its super exciting, said former Canadian field hockey captain Ken Pereira. We didnt play well throughout the tournament, all our games were close. But our best game was our finals versus Argentina. We were chasing and behind the whole game and tied it up with under three minutes.The Toronto Pan Ams will be an Olympic qualifier for 19 sports — either directly or indirectly — setting up some thrilling do-or-die moments. With direct qualifiers such as field hockey and mens water polo, its as simple as: win and go to Rio.Among the direct qualifiers: mens and womens field hockey, mens water polo, three-metre and 10-metre individual diving, all three equestrian events (dressage, eventing, jumping), handball, modern pentathlon, sailing (laser and laser radial), shooting (rifle, pistol and shot gun), table tennis and triathlon.---Games Debuts: A year before speedy winger Magali Harvey — the 2014 IRB womens player of the year — and her Canadian womens rugby teammates make their Olympic debut in Rio, theyll play in their first-ever Pan Am tournament. The mens game made its Pan Am debut in 2011, where Canada won gold. Golf, canoe slalom, and womens baseball will also make their Pan Am debuts in Toronto. The golf competition could provide a sneak peak of the Olympics. The sport was on the Olympic program in 1900 and 1904, and will finally make its Olympic return in 2016 in Rio.---Non-Olympic sports: When Stubby Clapp hit his bases-loaded single in the 11th inning against the U.S. at the 1999 Pan Ams in Winnipeg, it put Canadian baseball on the map. Clapp became a household name. Baseball is one of eight non-Olympic sports at the Toronto Pan Ams. This will be their biggest multi-sport experience, and a chance to show they deserve to be on the Olympic program.I think it changed a lot of guys careers, Clapp said of the 99 Pan Ams. That tournament was important for me because I was able to showcase my individual talents, but it was more important for us as a country and as a program that was up and coming, and for all the guys who worked so hard to give our country a good baseball program.The seven other non-Olympic sports are water-skiing, wakeboard, racquetball, squash, baseball, softball, karate and bowling. ---Stars are Born: Perdita Felicien was just out of college when she won silver in the 100-metre hurdles at the 2003 Pan Ams in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton won the gold. Weeks later, Felicien would go on to win the world championships, and she and Foster-Hylton would go on to be two of the worlds best for the next decade.The Pan Am games was the arena I needed to grow my competitive instincts as an athlete, Felicien said. Its a world class competition that builds champions, without it as a platform, I wouldnt have gone on to enjoy 10 years as one of the worlds best hurdlers.---The Controversy: Theres been criticism over the budget. It was originally announced at $1.4 billion — not including the $709 million cost of the athletes village — but is now expected to top $2.57 billion. Security costs were most recently in the news, with organizers estimating costs of $247.4 million, more than double the original estimate of $121.9 million in Torontos bid for the Games.Theres been staffing issues, including the firing of CEO Ian Troop a year ago.Traffic will be a concern for what some are already calling the Gridlock Games. With plans to implement HOV lanes to ferry athletes and officials, residents and businesses have been warned to look for transportation options for next summer. And the big question remains: Will Torontonians, with so many entertainment options, embrace the Games? M.J. Stewart Jersey . Ireland was the last unbeaten side in the championship after France fell to Wales on Friday, and was favoured to end a three-match losing run to England with a side with more than twice as many caps, rampant momentum, and added incentive to celebrate Brian ODriscolls world record-tying 139th test cap. John Lynch Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. http://www.shopbuccaneersauthentic.com/Youth-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-Elite-Jersey/ . Tepesch, back from the minor leagues, earned his first major league victory in more than 10 months and the Rangers edged the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday. TORONTO -- Captain Tyler Ardron will lead a strong Canadian squad for Junes rugby internationals against Japan, Scotland and the U.S. In addition to the back-row forward from Lakefield, Ont., coach Kieran Crowleys 26-man squad includes overseas pros Hubert Buydens, Aaron Carpenter, Jamie Cudmore, Jeff Hassler, Tyler Hotson, Jason Marshall, Taylor Paris, James Pritchard, Jebb Sinclair and DTH Van der Merwe. "Its probably the first time for a while weve had most of the players available for selection." Crowley said in an interview Sunday. Canada, ranked 15th in the world, is training in Burnaby, B.C., in advance of Saturdays Pacific Nations Cup match against Japan, which is expected to move to No. 12 in the next rankings, at Swangard Stadium. The Canadian men take on No. 10 Scotland at Torontos BMO Field on June 14 before facing the 18th-ranked U.S. Eagles on May 21 in Pacific Nations play in Sacramento. Canada is missing props Doug Wooldridge and Tom Dolezel and backs Nathan Hirayama and Matt Evans, who are coming back from injury. Japan is on a high, having just qualified for the 2015 World Cup and fresh from a 33-14 win over No. 8 Samoa. The Brave Blossoms have won seven straight, including a 42-17 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield last November. "Theyre knocking on the door of the top 10 in the world," said Crowley. "Theyve poured a lot of money into their game. Theyre obviously wanting to get it to the highest possible position before they host the World Cup in 2019." The roster announcement followed Saturdays trials match that saw a B.C. invitational team edge the Canada Select 27-26 in West Vancouver. "Certainly a very competitive game which showed that we are actually a little bit of depth there," said Crowley. That depth is shown by the fact that winger Phil MacKenzie of Englands Sale Sharks was not selected for the test roster. Crowley and the Canada selectors opted for Taylor Paris, Jeff Hassler and Van der Merwe. "Theres three specialist wingers there, so its a case of the quality of players in that area are very very strong. For this particular selection, we left Phil out. But there was a fair bit of debate around that area, as there was around a couple of other areas as well, particcularly the midfield. Alex Cappa Buccaneers Jersey. quot; Hassler, who scored seven tries in his first season with Wales Ospreys, was named to the RaboDirect Pro 12 team of the season. The Pro 12 league features teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Gordon McRorie, a Scottish scrum half who has qualified to play for Canada, makes the 26-man squad and will join veteran Phil Mack at No. 9. His play in the trials match helped him leapfrog Sean White. Crowley has questions in the back row due to an abundance of talent, even with Carpenter shifting from No. 8 to hooker. "Our challenge will be to get the balance right," said Crowley. Ardron, named captain Sunday for the June internationals, will lead the back row. John Moonlight, Nanyak Dala and Adam Kleeberger are coming off Canadas fine sevens season. And veteran Jebb Sinclair can play either in the back row or second row, if needed. Ardron captained the side several times in 2013. Canada Tyler Ardron (capt.), Ospreys (Wales), Lakefield, Ont.; Ray Barkwill, Niagara Wasps, Niagara Falls, Ont.; Nick Blevins, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; Connor Braid, James Bay AA, Victoria; Hubert Buydens, Manawatu Turbos (New Zealand), Saskatoon; Aaron Carpenter, Cornish Pirates (England), Brantford, Ont.; Jamie Cudmore, ASM Clermont Auvergne (France), Squamish, B.C.; Nanyak Dala, Castaway Wanderers, Saskatoon; Jeff Hassler, Ospreys (Wales), Okotoks, Alta.; Caran Hearn, Castaway Wanderers, Conception Bay South, N.L.; Tyler Hotson, London Scottish (England), Vancouver; Jake Ilnicki, Castaway Wanderers, Williams Lake, B.C.; Harry Jones, UBCOB Ravens, Vancouver; Adam Kleeberger, Castaway Wanderers, White Rock, B.C.; Phil Mack, James Bay AA, Victoria; Jason Marshall, Atlantique Stade Rochelais (France), Vancouver; Gordon McRorie, Calgary Hornets, Calgary; John Moonlight, James Bay AA, Pickering, Ont.; Patrick Parfrey, Swilers RFC, St. Johns, N.L.; Taylor Paris, SU Agen Lot-et-Garonne (France), Barrie, Ont.; Jon Phelan, Castaway Wanderers, Montreal; James Pritchard, Bedford Blues (England) Parkes, Australia; Jebb Sinclair, London Irish (England), Fredericton; Andrew Tiedemann, Castaway Wanderers, St. Albert, Alta.; Liam Underwood, Ontario Blues, Toronto; DTH Van der Merwe, Glasgow Warriors (Scotland), Regina. 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