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Tijana McCarthy will be off to the Special Olympics in Berlin this summer.

The Special Olympics World Summer Games take place June 17-25 in the German capital.

Tijana (pronounced T-Anna) will be representing Canada in Level 4 Golf.

The Star sat down with McCarthy and her mom, Erin Steele-Glass, Thursday. McCarthy鈥檚 coach and cousin, Teneil Caron, joined in on the phone.

Her mom explained how this came about.

鈥淪he went to a tournament in August in Cranbrook, won a silver medal there, which qualified her to be put into the list of things 鈥� because it wasn鈥檛 really a trial this time around. Because of COVID, there was like 鈥� cancelled, so they had put out a list of opportunities that if one of the kids or adults fit into that category, then they鈥檇 have a chance to go, as long as they鈥檇 done one tournament, which she did.

鈥淪o then we got the letter stating that she was qualified to go for Level 4 golf in Berlin.

鈥淜ind of like a lottery, really.鈥�

Caron added McCarthy won silver at the B.C. Alternative Competition in Cranbrook.

The Aug. 15 competition was the SOBC (Special Olympics B.C.) Super Summer Series Golf Tournament.

McCarthy was excited to hear the news that she鈥檇 qualified for Berlin.

鈥淚 feel happy,鈥� she related. 鈥淚 got to go with my cousin (Caron).鈥�

Steele-Glass recalled 鈥淗er dad and I were notified first, to make sure that we were actually OK with sending here halfway across the world, cause originally as well we didn鈥檛 know if she was going to be able to take a coach with her or if she was going to have to do it without a coach, without anyone from here.

鈥淪o we had put that stipulation that if someone from here couldn鈥檛 go with her, we weren鈥檛 all that comfortable sending her. But it did come up that they could bring a caddy/ coach with them, which ended up being her cousin, which is even better. That was the kicker, that all worked out.鈥�

Steele-Glass and her husband Jay are planning to go watch McCarthy compete in Berlin.

鈥淵es, we would like to go for sure,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure about her dad, but definitely me and my husband have already started planning to go.鈥�

McCarthy chimed in, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gonna watch me?鈥�

Her mom replied 鈥淵es.鈥�

Steele-Glass said she鈥檚 鈥渟uper proud鈥� of her daughter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a big opportunity she has. (She) travelled one other time in 2017; she went to Austria for the Worlds, but those were winter Worlds, for figure skating and so, yeah, a little bit younger at that time.

鈥淭his time around, I feel a little more comfortable about it but again, she has her cousin going with her but I know that she鈥檚 a little more independent now so she can handle this on her own and 鈥� we鈥檙e super proud and excited for her.鈥�

McCarthy turns 26 in May.

Caron said she felt 鈥渆cstatic. Special Olympics had brought me down to discuss it with me and I think instantly I was ecstatic. I said yes on the spot. It鈥檚 a great opportunity for Tijana and I am so honoured that I am able to go with her as her coach/caddy. It is an amazing experience. I can鈥檛 wait to experience it with her.鈥�

When asked how it will feel to represent the Yukon, Caron responded 鈥淎mazing.鈥�

鈥淚 feel good,鈥� added McCarthy.

Her mother said McCarthy has been golfing for a long time.

鈥淲e鈥檙e golfers, all of us in the family, so she鈥檚 been golfing probably from the time she was, I don鈥檛 know, eight or so. She鈥檚 been golfing a long time and she鈥檚 always 鈥� she started with Special O in 2007 鈥� as soon as they put that program, I guess, into their program, she鈥檚 been golfing at Special O. That鈥檚 her summer and then winter (figure skating). So she does the two sports.鈥�

McCarthy was asked what she enjoys about the game.

鈥淚 have fun. Good golf 鈥� when I hit it. My cousin Teneil told me.鈥�

鈥淵our cousin Teneil told you you like to hit the ball?鈥� asked her mom.

鈥淵es,鈥� answered McCarthy, to much laughter.

It was mentioned that McCarthy鈥檚 pretty good at figure skating as well.

鈥淵eah, I鈥檓 think I鈥檓 good,鈥� she said.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e good at it,鈥� agreed her mom.

When asked what she liked about it, McCarthy responded, 鈥淚 think maybe, Mike.鈥�

鈥淗er friends, right?鈥� said her mom. 鈥淢ike 鈥� you like going and skating with your friends. That鈥檚 actually a very big part of why she likes to go. Probably to both sports.鈥�

McCarthy said 鈥淢ike and Amy.鈥�

Steele-Glass said 鈥淢ike and Amy are both at skating too. And you get to travel with them, right?鈥�

McCarthy replied 鈥淵eah.鈥�

McCarthy added she鈥檚 been doing figure skating even longer than golf.

So what鈥檚 up next for McCarthy prior to going to Berlin?

Caron said 鈥淲e have a training camp in the middle of November in Toronto that we鈥檒l be going to and then I think we have another training camp in the new year; I just don鈥檛 know the dates yet for that one.鈥� The training camp in Toronto takes place Nov. 11-13.

McCarthy added the trip to Austria in 2017 was fun and made her happy.

鈥淭hat trip, though, she had two other athletes with her, from the Yukon, so this will be much different but it鈥檚 just her,鈥� said her mom. 鈥淪he鈥檒l meet teammates in Toronto and in those two training camps; at least she鈥檒l get to know who she鈥檚 going to be traveling with.鈥�

McCarthy will be part of a team of 10 golfers going to the Games.

鈥淚鈥檓 feeling happy. I鈥檓 happy to go.鈥�

Steele-Glass said 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to get a map out so she can understand how far it is.鈥�

Her mom didn鈥檛 go with her to Austria.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 also kind of why I don鈥檛 really want to miss this one.鈥�

This will be McCarthy鈥檚 first time in Germany.

鈥淚鈥檓 so excited,鈥� she said.

The following is a list of Special Olympics competitions McCarthy has competed in and the results:

2015 BC Kamloops Provincials 鈥� Figure skating- Silver

2016 NFLD Nationals 鈥� Figure Skating 鈥� Gold

2017 Austria World Games 鈥� Figure skating 鈥� Silver

2017 BC Golf 鈥� N/A

2019 BC Vernon Provincials 鈥� Bronze

2020 Thunder Bay Nationals 鈥� N/A

2022 BC Alternative Competition 鈥� Silver