Not even a fall on his final apparatus could bump Felix Dolci off the medal podium on Monday.

The rising Canadian gymnastics star had built enough of a lead in the men’s all-around competition before horizontal (high) bar to hold off Diogo Soares of Brazil and win Canada’s 10th gold medal at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile.

The 21-year-old native of Laval, Que., scored over 14 points in four of six apparatus and totalled 82.531, with silver medallist Soares close behind with 81.865. Donnell Whittenburg of the United States earned bronze (81.764).

Dolci, who qualified seventh for the final, is the first Canadian to win the event at Pan Ams since Wilhelm Weiler in 1963.

William Émard of Laval placed 16th in the 24-man field.

Earlier this month, Dolci and Emard helped Canada end a 15-year drought and qualify a men’s team for the Paris Olympics next summer.

‘I’m expecting a successful year’

On Saturday, Rene Cournoyer, Zachary Clay, Dolci and Émard captured team silver behind the United States.

“I’m expecting a successful year for myself in 2023 in all the international competitions I’ll be attempting,” Dolci told International Gymnast Online in January. “The best way for me to reach such goals would be by staying healthy and keep pushing in the same direction I’ve been going since [2022] worlds.

“I’m ready to work like I’ve never worked before in order to be where I’ve never been before in my career.”

Dolci made an impact 14 months ago at the Commonwealth Games, earning silver in the team event and floor exercise while placing fourth in individual all-around.

A year earlier, he brought home vault silver and bronze in team, all-around and floor from the 2021 Pan Am Championships.

In 2018, he represented Canada at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was the first Canadian to win a gymnastics medal (silver in rings).

The following year, Dolci became the most decorated athlete in Canada Games history in 2018, compiling 11 medals over two appearances.