The Games > NWT AWG Alumni
Since its inception, the Arctic Winter Games have inspired Northern youth to follow their dreams. A number of Arctic Winter Games alumni have gone on to compete in their sport at national and international levels, on the World Cup circuit and in pursuit of their Olympic dreams. Let us introduce you to just a few of the newest Arctic Winter Games alumni who are making sports news. They are but a few of the ones to watch in the years to come.
Brendan Green, Biathlon
Brendan
Green is a 19 year-old member of the National Junior Biathlon Team.
Born and raised in Hay River, Northwest Territories, he is a graduate
of Diamond Jenness Secondary School and is currently training full-time
in Canmore, Alberta. His father, Bruce Green, credits Brendan’s
involvement in the Arctic Winter Games in 1998, where he competed in
Cross-Country Skiing, as being his major breakthrough, starting Brendan
his current path of international competition.
This year, Brendan qualified for the European tour with the National Senior Biathlon Team—quite an achievement so early in his career. But Brendan is no new comer to achievements. In 2005, Biathlon Canada awarded this young man the Myriam Bédard Award which formally recognizes individuals who have displayed extraordinary dedication and commitment in the achievement of excellence in the sport of Biathlon.
In Kontiolahti, Finland, he played a major role in the success of the Canadian Relay Team at the World Biathlon Championships. As the anchor, Brendan was the third and last member of the team to race. After the last tag, the Canadian Team was in 4th place. For the team to reach the podium, Brendan had to come up with a world class performance, and that is exactly what he did. His great skiing and outstanding shooting under difficult wind conditions helped secure his team the Silver Medal. This is the first World Class podium finish for an N.W.T. athlete in an Olympic sport. In December 2006, Brendon qualified for a place on the four member Junior Mens Team and will compete in the World Jr. Biathlon Championships in Italy from January 22-31, 2007.
While in high school, Brendan trained independently, often under extremely cold conditions. He has had to make a lot of personal sacrifices to find the time to complete his training while maintaining honours in academics. While in Hay River, Brendan was active in coaching younger athletes of the Hay River Ski Club in both cross-country skiing and biathlon.
Michael Gilday, Speed Skating
Michael
Gilday, a Yellowknifer and short-track speed skater, is very familiar
with the Arctic Winter Games, having competed in every Games in which
he was eligible since 1998, taking home single Bronze, Silver and Gold
medals that year, 5 Gold in 2000, 4 Gold in 2002 and 5 Gold in 2004.
Recently, Speed Skating Canada named Michael to the National Short Track
Development Team for 2006-07. Gilday, a University of Calgary student,
has been training at the Olympic Oval since August 2005.
“Skating has become a fantastic journey filled with opportunity that will benefit me for the rest of my life,” said Gilday. Michael credits the YK Speed Skating Club, Sport North and his supportive family for helping get his start through the Arctic Winter Games.
On October 15, 2006, Michael finished off the Olympic Oval Conematic Short Track Invitational competition with wins in both the 1,000 metre final and 1,500 super final. The 1,500 metre super final is the last race of the competition and determines the top skater of the whole event. Gilday ranked first among the men with a time of 2:20,659. The day before, Gilday won the 500 metre final and was 0.328 seconds away from setting a world record in this event.
John Tram, Gymnastics
A
University of Lethbridge student from Yellowknife, John Tram got his
start through participating in the Arctic Winter Games in both 1996
and 1998, when he won Gold in Rings, Silver in Parallel Bars and Bronze
in the High Bar. He has gone on to win a Bronze Medal on Rings at the
Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Quebec City in 2006 and Gold Medals
on Rings at the Western Canadian Championships in both 2005 and 2006.
Tram, who has been a gymnast for 15 years, spends his summers in Yellowknife
and continues to train and work with the Yellowknife Gymnastics Club.
He is being scouted as a possible contender for the Canadian Team as
a Rings specialist.
Mike Argue, Cross Country Skiing
Mike
Argue considers his Arctic Winter Games experiences as some of his fondest
memories. He attended three Arctic Winter Games: the first in Slave
Lake, Alberta (1994) as a cross country skier; the second in Eagle River/Chugiak,
Alaska (1996) as a member of the bantam hockey team; and finally in
his hometown of Yellowknife (1998), once again as a cross country skier.
"While I never stepped onto the podium at the Arctic Winter Games, the multi-sport environment helped prepare me for further Games experiences such as the Canada Games, World University Games, and with continued training, the Olympic Games in Vancouver," said Argue.
This season, he hopes to race for Canada at the inaugural Tour de Ski (a race much like the Tour de France where points are awarded in individual races leading to an overall champion after eight races in 11 days) and the World Nordic Championships in Sapporo, Japan.
"Spending time in southern Canada emphasized for me the greatness of the north, consequently, nothing can be better than bringing together athletes and cultural performers from the entire circumpolar region," added Argue. "Without a doubt, you will enjoy these Games!"
Mike currently resides in Canmore, Alberta, where he is pursuing his cross country skiing goals, after completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary. When he is not training or competing, Mike can often be spotted at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, cheering on his friend and fellow Arctic Winter Games alumnus, Michael Gilday, speed skater.
Jason and Rebecca Baxter, Dog Mushing
Brother
and sister, Jason and Rebecca Baxter were born and raised in Inuvik,
NT, and to the sport of Dog Mushing. According to their mother, Diane,
they both started Dog Mushing before they could walk, even though they
didn't start racing competitively until 1999 and 2000 respectively.
"Growing up with it (the sport of dog mushing), they just assumed it was only people in the north still mushing and were quite surprised to discover, when they started competing, people coming from Europe and the lower 48th," said Diane Baxter. "Jason and Rebecca, due to their Arctic Winter Games experiences, have now had the opportunity to compete again people from New York to Sweden."
Big brother Jason turned 18 on October 21st, 2006 and his younger sister, Rebecca celebrated her 13th birthday on November 17th, 2006. Both have already established quite a remarkable resume during their lives. In his first appearance at the Arctic Winter Games (Whitehorse, YT, 2000), Jason came home with two gold and one silver Ulus. Jason followed up this impressive start with three gold medals at the 2002 AWG in Iqaluit, NU/Nuuk, Greenland, and a gold, silver and bronze medal in Fort McMurray, AB in 2004. Not to be out-rivalled, at her first showing at the Arctic Winter Games (Kenai, Alaska, 2006), Rebecca equalled her brother and also won two gold and one silver.
"The feeling before a race is the best because your mind in racing, your heart is pounding and you're all psyched up for the race," says Jason. "That's the best feeling in the world."
"Jason is lucky I am not racing in his division," rebuts Rebecca. "Just kidding Jay; It's the competition I like, because it feels so good to be out there and you're excited and nervous all at the same time and you know the other teams are just as good as you."
Both Jason and Rebecca attend Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik, where they participate in other sports such as volleyball and soccer. Jason was a member of the men's soccer team and went to Regina for the Canada Summer Games in 2005, while Rebecca also competes at the territorial level in Figure Skating.
Jason and Rebecca both care for their own dog teams and hope they once again qualify to represent Team NWT in the 2008 Arctic Winter Games.
Other up-and-coming young athletes and Arctic Winter Games alumni are:
Chris Stipdonk (Fort Simpson) – Duathlon
Amy MacDonald (Hay River) - Biathlon
Graeme Ryder (Yellowknife) – Basketball
Sarah Daitch (Fort Smith) – Cross-country Skiing
Thomsen D’Hont (Yellowknife) – Cross-country Skiing
Lindsey Bolivar (Yellowknife) – Biathlon
Andrew Matthews (Yellowknife) - Snowboard
For further information, please visit www.sportnorth.com
