(Team Saskathcewan/Flickr)

By paNOW Staff

WINTER GAMES

Local athletes return home after successful Canada Winter Games

Mar 7, 2023 | 1:00 PM

After two weeks, Team Saskatchewan is riding high after a successful showing at the Canada Winter Games.

Athletes hauled in a total of 20 medals including three gold, seven silver and 10 bronze.

Competitors from Prince Albert and the surrounding area contributed to the success with Krystle Shewchuk winning bronze in her final Canada Games appearance in Para Cross Country Skiing. Shewchuk was selected as the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies.

READ MORE: Shewchuk named flag bearer for closing ceremonies

The provincial hockey team captured the attention of many across the country after qualifying for its first gold medal game since 1995. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be as Ontario claimed the gold in a double-overtime thriller.

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Prince Albert’s Ryan MacDonald was a coach on the team which also featured Raiders prospects Luke Moroz, Dayce Derkatch, and Jaxon Herchak. Herchak ended up being named the team’s captain.

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment for the guys,” McDonald said. “Obviously it’s a little short of what we set out to do, but in the end, they bought in right from the very start.”

Many athletes from the area had top-10 finishes in their events including Jayden Dauvin and Bohdan Booth of Spiritwood who placed ninth in men’s curling.

The figure skating pair of Stefan Lotz and Julia Shindle placed ninth in the pre-novice category and Corban Taylor of Prince Albert was fifth in the 81 kg male division in judo.

Sadie McFarlane placed ninth in karate kata female.

Team Saskatchewan chef de mission Mark Bracken reflected on the games and the individual accomplishments of each athlete.

“Our kids played hard and worked hard and represented the province just perfectly,” he said. “We are proud of them and their efforts and we’re just grateful to have this opportunity to showcase our young athletes on the national stage.”

“We are there just competing and putting the best on the line and we are competitive in these sports, but grabbing that medal is not easy and our kids put it all out there to try and accomplish that,” he said.

The next Canada Games take place in 2025 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

–With files from 650 CKOM