[1] Santavy made his international senior debut at the 2015 Pan American Games held in Toronto, Canada.

Santavy moved up to compete in the 94 kg event at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, California.

[4] Santavy unofficially broke the Commonwealth record in the 94 kg event in training in March 2018, weeks before the games.

Santavy's father, Dalas, competed at the 2005 World Weightlifting Championships, while his grandfather, Bob, represented Canada at the 1968 and 1976 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and Montreal respectively.

The victim suffered a broken shoulder blade, clavicle, lacerated spleen, brain bleed and other superficial wounds.