麻豆社区

The Yukon government recently announced the 2020 Celebration of Sport Excellence award winners.

The recipients are recognized for achieving a level of excellence or a special level of accomplishment in their sport.

There were 20 winners of the Premier鈥檚 Award of Sport Excellence and six winners of the Minister鈥檚 Award of Sport Recognition, representing eight sports.

Delia Therriault of Whitehorse is one of five members of the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle archery team to win a Premier鈥檚 Award of Sport Excellence.

Therriault, now 13, set a Canadian record in Pre-Cub Barebow in the Multi-Sites Indoor Championships of the Americas (MICA) on Dec. 16, 2020 as a 12-year-old.

鈥淚 feel pretty good,鈥� Therriault said of the award this week.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I would get this far this fast. I鈥檓 really happy I did. It feels good. I鈥檓 happy I got this far.鈥�

Therriault attributes her success, and the success of the team, to her coach, Warren Kapaniuk, as well as to her dad, Steve, who took a coaching course to help Therriault develop her archery skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while living in Mayo, she was able to shoot more than the team in Whitehorse as a result of her relationship with her dad/coach.

Emmet Kapaniuk (Warren鈥檚 son), now 15, also set a Canadian record during the MICA event as a Cub in the crossbow competition. He has also won multiple gold medals in crossbow.

That success has resulted in him winning a Premier鈥檚 Award of Sport Excellence as well.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always great to be recognized for Team Yukon,鈥� he told the Star this week.

鈥淵ou put in the work and they鈥�put a release out and you get rewarded for all your hard work. It just feels good,鈥� Kapaniuk stated.

Kapaniuk has been blown away by the team鈥檚 success.

鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hinking back to what it used to be, just four of us. We鈥檇 be lucky to get a bronze medal at a competition.

鈥淭o now, going out and getting all these awards and all these national gold medals, it鈥檚 absolutely crazy.鈥�

Kapaniuk said his father, and the coach of the team, has been instrumental in the team鈥檚 success.

鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely put in all the hours. He鈥檚 done all the research and stuff. The team wouldn鈥檛 exist without him,鈥� said the younger Kapaniuk.

As for his future, Kapaniuk said he would like to compete in the World Championships, and eventually turn pro in the U.S., competing in such prestigious tournaments as the Vegas Shoot, which he says pays out $70,000.

The other three award-winning members of the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle archery team are Gabriela Browning, Kemper Murray and Mitchell Rudolph.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the award winners will be recognized with a video message from Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn, and celebrated virtually.

A complete list of award winners can be found at .

By Morris Prokop