Team Sask. claims 20 medals at Canada Winter Games
The Canadian Winter Games concluded on Sunday in Prince Edward Island, with Team Saskatchewan claiming 20 medals: three gold, seven silver and 10 bronze, an improvement from the last Winter Games in 2019.
Team. Sask. finished the first week with 17 medals. They clinched their first medal of the second week in men’s judo with a bronze win on March 1st. They won another bronze medal on March 2, also in judo, bringing their medal count to 19.
On March 4, Krystle Shewchuk won a bronze medal in the women’s five-kilometer Para-Nordic sit-ski, bringing the final medal count for Team Saskatchewan to 20.
Our flag bearer of the graduation ceremony!
��️ https://t.co/Hy2jIUAVWU pic.twitter.com/aAEDFsYjEJ
— Team Sask (@goteamsask)
March 5, 2023
Shewchuk was also chosen to carry the flag at the closing ceremony.
“I was a bit shocked, I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s pretty awesome,” she said.
Team Saskatchewan chief of mission Mark Bracken said there were a few reasons Shewchuk was chosen to carry the flag.
“It’s about achievement, but it’s also about someone who’s a role model, someone who’s shown a commitment to Team Saskatchewan and the sport in the province, so she’s in week two as someone who our contingent to lead, risen to the top for the closing ceremony,” he said.
Shewchuk said the experience at the Canada Winter Games was “amazing”.
“I also think their sit ski class here was probably the best I’ve taken so far. So it was really good. A great experience,” she said.
For Bracken, the biggest highlight of the games was watching the men’s gold medal hockey game go into double overtime. Even though Canada lost, it was still a special moment for him.
“To see a hockey game go three-on-three for 23 minutes before someone scored in overtime was just a thrill for the audience. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to be there,” he said. “Getting silver is phenomenal; We haven’t won a medal in men’s hockey since 1995.”
Bracken said the Canada Winter Games was an incredible experience for the athletes, coaches and officials.
“Just some really outstanding performances from our athletes,” he said. “They came here, they played, they had a great time and so we couldn’t be happier with how our teams represented our province and performed over the span of the games.”
Bracken said he didn’t have a single standout moment during the games and said it was all special for him.
“It’s all special to me, I’ve always been a big fan of opening ceremonies at all games, when you see the whole country parade in their provincial, territorial colours, and just emotional, and such a celebration of the sport and such a celebration of the across the country coming together through sport to perform,” he said.
The 2025 Canada Summer Games will be held in Saint John’s, NL.