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Whitehorse鈥檚 Sarah Cave is off to Cologne, Germany to compete in the 2023 World Dwarf Games (WDG).

The games run from July 28 to Aug. 5.

Cave, 16, is competing in Junior B Archery, Junior B Basketball, Junior C Track and Field, and Junior B Volleyball, Soccer and Doubles Boccia.

She previously competed in the 2017 games in Guelph, where she won two medals: a gold in Floor Hockey and a bronze in Frisbee Toss.

The Star spoke with the Caves 鈥� Sarah, her father Chris and mother Randi 鈥� on Saturday before the family left for Cologne on Sunday.

Chris Cave explained that it is a busy schedule for Sarah, but each sport is on a different day.

鈥淚t鈥檚 quite spread out, similar to what happened in Guelph.鈥�

Sarah was asked what her favourite sport is.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for basketball,鈥� she replied. 鈥淐ause it鈥檚 fun to compete and do that with my friends.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to also playing soccer and volleyball.鈥�

When asked how she felt about seeing some people that she made friends with before at the games, Sarah said she鈥檚 鈥渞eally excited for that.鈥�

She said it felt good to have her parents with her at the games.

Chris explained, 鈥淥riginally, it was just going to be Randi and Sarah going but we decided, I guess, that I would go as well.鈥�

He said the thinking was that he could give them help with 鈥渄irections and trying to figure stuff out and supporting Sarah, because Randi and I support her in different ways.鈥�

Randi is also helping coach Sarah鈥檚 team in soccer and volleyball.

Chris was asked how it feels to have Sarah competing in the games.

鈥淚 love it, actually. She plays other sports in Whitehorse with average size kids. Same age actually. In hockey, she plays with younger girls. So with Sarah being able to compete with people her same abilities and size, I think it鈥檚 great.鈥�

Randi referred to the games as an 鈥渆ven playing field鈥� for Sarah.

Sarah was the captain of the Yukon Wild all-girls鈥� traveling hockey team for the last two years.

Chris doesn鈥檛 usually participate in Sarah鈥檚 coaching, but said he鈥檒l 鈥渉elp out if need be. As of right now, they have enough coaches. If they don鈥檛, then I can definitely help out.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really difficult because we鈥檙e from the Yukon. A lot of the athletes are from Ontario, B.C., so it鈥檚 really hard to have everyone so spread apart. Pretty tough to actually coach. You鈥檙e just more organizing the kids and supporting them.鈥�

Sarah is the only Yukon athlete in the 2023 WDG.

鈥淪o she plays with her peers here, which is good,鈥� related Chris.

As for preparation for the games, Randi said Sarah 鈥渄id a lot through school. Her gym teacher was very curious and excited about her sports. Her gym teacher practiced a lot of sports that way and then we鈥檒l go out and shoot the basketball and play sports with her. So we kind of do it on our own.鈥�

When asked how long she鈥檚 been coaching Sarah, Randi replied, 鈥淎bout two days.鈥�

She said that they鈥檙e part of the Dwarf Athletics Association of Canada (DAAC) that is organizing Team Canada.

鈥淚 am a board member of that group and it鈥檚 basically a call for volunteers. I get the kids to organize, they all know the rules of sport, all the guidelines that have been sent out to all the parents, so it鈥檚 more around kind of getting them together, being a team and playing with respect to sport.鈥�

Randi said Team Canada has also been setting up Zoom calls for the athletes.

鈥淜ids have been getting to know each other and what positions they want to play. And so we鈥檝e been doing a lot of virtual team building.

鈥淎 lot of the athletes that are going to Cologne competed in the 2017 games in Guelph and Sarah has some past friends she鈥檚 competing with and she鈥檚 matched up with a friend of hers from Ontario by the name of Sara (Ghods) to do Double Boccia, so it鈥檚 kind of fun that way.鈥�

Sarah is also participating in the 40 Metre Shuttle, part of a team of four. The Shuttle is similar to a relay race.

Randi said Sarah getting to know her teammates virtually helps build team camaraderie.

Chris said Sarah鈥檚 major sponsors include Trevor Twardochleb of Sport Yukon and Nuway Crushing.

The late Travis Adams of Nuway Crushing knew Sarah quite well, resulting in Nuway Crushing being a major sponsor for Sarah.

Sarah also had bottle drives to raise funds to pay for transportation and lodging for the games.

Community members added to her account at Raven Recycling.

鈥淭here was a lot of bottle drives,鈥� related Sarah.

Chris said, 鈥淲e had a lot of community support which without that, I don鈥檛 think we鈥檇 be able to afford to actually go to the games.鈥�

When asked how competitive the Dwarf Games are, Sarah replied, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really competitive.鈥�

Randi related that 鈥淭he teams are competitive and really love to compete, but it鈥檚 about inclusivity.鈥�

According to Randi, there are over 200 forms of Dwarfism. She said the games are about 鈥渁llowing everyone to participate, but they still have a drive to win, no matter what.鈥�

Sarah was asked if she likes to compete and replied, 鈥淢aybe.

鈥淎nd have fun, too.鈥�

The 2023 World Dwarf Games has 29 countries and over 500 athletes competing.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the largest Dwarf Games so far,鈥� said Randi.

The 2023 games are the eighth WDG so far.

The games involve athletes from ages seven to 72 sorted into different age categories.

When asked if she would like to do this as long as she can, Sarah responded, 鈥淵eah, I would really like to do that.鈥�

The opening ceremonies are this Friday. The games go until Aug. 5.

The WDG can be followed on a Facebook page under the Dwarf Athletic Association of Canada. A videographer has been hired to record video of the athletes competing.

For more information on the World Dwarf Games, go to