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GOLDEN鈥圙IRL 鈥 Brenda Dion crosses the finish line in the 10-kilometre run. The Whitehorse track and field athlete won four gold medals at the Canada 55+鈥圙ames. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
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UNIQUE鈥圕ELEBRATION 鈥 Ron Moore dances on the green after draining a putt in Alberta. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
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TRAILBLAZER 鈥 Mike McCann won two golds for Team Yukon鈥檚 cycling contingent at the Canada 55+ Games. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
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ON鈥圱HE鈥圖IAMONDS 鈥 Yukon third baseman Howard Frotten tosses a ball during softball action. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
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WHAT? 鈥 Sheila Senger and Laurie Drummond celebrate a win at the Canada 55+ Games. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
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WORKING HARD 鈥 Louise Girard pedals past spectators in the 60-km road race. Photos courtesy TEAM鈥圷UKON
Team Yukon finishes third, earns spirit award
Team Yukon returned home from the Canada 55+ Games with a whopping 64.5 medals this weekend.
Team Yukon returned home from the Canada 55+ Games with a whopping 64.5 medals this weekend.
The territory picked up 24 gold, 22.5 silver 鈥 the half medal coming via a tie, and 18 bronze at the 2014 Games held in Strathcona County, Alta.
The medal haul left the Yukon behind only first-place Alberta (334 medals) and runner-up Saskatchewan (124 medals) in the standings.
By comparison, the Northwest Territories won just 15 medals at the four-day event.
A cherry on top of the third-place finish came via the 鈥淪pirit of the Games鈥 award, handed out Saturday night at the closing ceremonies.
The award is earned by the contingent that displays good sportsmanship, enthusiasm, courtesy and encouragement during the Canada 55+ Games.
This is the fourth time the Yukon has netted the coveted award, which has only been handed out eight times.
鈥淚t was fun, fun, fun,鈥 co-chef de mission Linda Stratis told the Star today. 鈥淭hey were a great bunch to work with.鈥
Stratis said the secret to Team Yukon鈥檚 success may have been the cohesiveness shown by the group.
鈥淚 think one thing that鈥檚 different from any of the other contingents that go is we go as a group and we all support each other. Not many teams do that,鈥 she explained.
TOP RESULTS
(Unofficial)
GOLD
Cycling
鈥 Louise Girard (women鈥檚 55+ 60-km road race)
鈥 Mike McCann (men鈥檚 65+ 40-km time trial, and 60-km road race)
鈥 Gail Miller-Craigen (women鈥檚 65+ 10-km time trial, and 20-km road race)
Track and field
鈥 Pamela Bangart (women鈥檚 60+ triple jump)
鈥 Brenda Dion (women鈥檚 55+ 50-m run, 100-m run, javelin, and discus)
鈥 Merton Friesen (women鈥檚 open predicted walk)
鈥 John Hall (men鈥檚 75+ 50-m run)
鈥 Hank Leenders (men鈥檚 75+ javelin)
鈥 Tom Parlee (men鈥檚 65+ javelin, long jump, and discus)
Swimming
鈥 Linda Augustine (women鈥檚 60+ 100-m backstroke, 50-m butterfly, and 100-m IM)
鈥 Steven Duncan (men鈥檚 60+ 50-m freestyle, and 100-m freestyle)
鈥 Nesta Leduc (women鈥檚 80+ 50-m backstroke, and 100-m backstroke)
Other
鈥 Colleen Tyrner (Scrabble)
SILVER
Track and field
鈥 Gail Craigen (women鈥檚 65+ 5-km)
鈥 Laurie Drummond (women鈥檚 55+ 10-km micromarathon)
鈥 Naomi Hall (women鈥檚 70+ predicted walk)
鈥 Donna Jones (women鈥檚 55+ 200-m and 800-m)
鈥 Dave Kalles (men鈥檚 75+ 400-m, 800-m, 1,500-m, and 3-km)
鈥 Tom Parlee (men鈥檚 65+ shotput)
鈥 Sheila Senger (women鈥檚 65+ 10-km micromarathon)
鈥 Nick Stratis (men鈥檚 55+ 800-m)
鈥 Richard Zral (men鈥檚 70+ 800-m, 1,500-m, 3-km, and five-km)
Swimming
鈥 Linda Augustine (women鈥檚 60+ 50-m freestyle)
鈥 Nesta Leduc (women鈥檚 80+ 50-m freestyle, and 100-m freestyle)
鈥 Barbara Phillips (women鈥檚 70+ 50-m backstroke, and 100-m backstroke)
鈥 Sharon Westburg (women鈥檚 65+ 50-m backstroke)
Other
鈥 Tom Amson (men鈥檚 55+ golf)
鈥 Gary Hewitt (men鈥檚 55+ doubles darts)
BRONZE
Cycling
鈥 Mike Craigen (men鈥檚 65+ 20-km)
鈥 Louise Girard (women 55+ 40-km time trial)
Track and field
鈥 John Hall (men鈥檚 75+ 100-m, long jump, and triple jump)
鈥 Naomi Hall (women鈥檚 70+ discus)
鈥 Roger Hanberg (men鈥檚 60+ 400- m)
鈥 Nick Stratis (men鈥檚 65+ 1,500-m)
鈥 Richard Zral (men鈥檚 70+ 400-m, and 10-km micromarathon)
Swimming
鈥 Steven Duncan (men鈥檚 60+ 50-m breaststroke, and 100-m backstroke)
鈥 Spence Hill (women鈥檚 60+ open 200-m predicted)
Other
鈥 Mixed 55+ Bocce (David, Karen, Pat and Linda)
鈥 Women鈥檚 70+ Bocce (Eileen, Arla, Rosalie and Madeline)
鈥 Dorothy Drummond and Edna Knight (55+ floor shuffleboard)
鈥 Ida Calmegane (women鈥檚 85+ 5-pin bowling)
鈥 Norm Unrau (men鈥檚 55+ 5-pin bowling)
See tomorrow鈥檚 Star for more coverage on the Canada 55+鈥圙ames.
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Comments (1)
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JuneJackson on Sep 3, 2014 at 4:30 pm
I was at the Senior Games this year. The Yukoner's were on top right from the start. We had the nicest uniforms, and everyone commented on it. Our organizers were... well.. exceptionally well organized and personality wise, we couldn't have chosen a better liaison than Susan Miekal, tactful, kind and generous with her time, she looked after her flock morning to night. My group never missed an event or a bus. Others were there but Sue shone.
The Elderactives fundraised for 2 years to support this event, YTG kicked in too, as did several local businesses. (I'll make it a point to support you).
Thanks to EA's hard work and all the sponsors who made it possible for us all to go.