DAY 8: TEAM SASK at the 2019 Western Canada Summer Games

SWIFT CURRENT, SK (August 16, 2019): The inclement weather didn't stop Team Sask on Friday, as they surged ahead in the medal count by 28 to a total of 138 -- already beyond its total medal haul at the previous Western Canada Summer Games, with two days to go. Wrestling and Golf opened up their events, while Athletics, Baseball, Rowing, Tennis, and Volleyball continued to make us #SaskProud. Diving and Triathlon had practice days and will return to action on Saturday. Team Sask is entering the final week of 2019 Western Canada Summer Games in a solid second place, with dozens of medal opportunities still to come on Saturday and Sunday.

TEAM SASK MEDAL COUNT: 
GOLD: 39 | SILVER: 49 | BRONZE: 50 | TOTAL: 138

RESULTS: https://bit.ly/31sAs2x
DAY 9 SCHEDULE: https://bit.ly/2ZO42PQ
FULL MEDAL STANDINGS: https://bit.ly/2YW3Nkk 

QUOTES OF THE DAY:

  • "I steer the boat, I yell at them, tell them what to do and when to do it." Rower SEAMUS DODDS (Regina) explaining how to get the most out of the Men's Eights Sask rowing team
  • "The experience has been absolutely incredible. Fantastic event! Venues [and organizations] are first class and getting to see all the smiles." Sask Sport Chair KENRIC EXNER on how his experience has been so far at the Western Canada Summer Games
  • "It was really fun to come here, the competition was great and everyone was really nice and helpful."  Silver medalist WILLIAM PRECIADO (Saskatoon, Tennis) on what he will take away from participating at the Games

TEAM SASK SPOTLIGHT:

  • MAYA MARSHALL (Saskatoon, Rowing) isn't the only one in the family with Games experience. Maya's sister, ANNIKA MARSHALL, competed at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Long Track Speed Skating, and her mother DEE MARSHALL [KAY] competed in Field Hockey in 1989 as well as Soccer in 1993.
  • MONTANA HOLMES-BELHUMEUR (Strasbourg, Indoor Volleyball) is the first female athlete in the town of Strasbourg to make Team Sask and play high performance indoor volleyball.
  • HUNTER BERG'S number one fan Jenita, a 2019 Western Canada Summer Games volunteer and Special Olympian athlete, was offered an opportunity she couldn't resist on Friday. Athletics head coach HARVEY WEBER pulled strings to have Jenita, local resident of Swift Current, be trackside to see Hunter compete in the 200m Wheelchair race on Friday night. Jenita has known Hunter since they played wheelchair hockey together in 2015.

DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS:

  • ATHLETICS - TRACK: Athletics had another banner day, collecting another big haul of medals in their second day of competition. YOUSIF KAED won his second gold of the meet, earning first place in the 200m Wheelchair race, where HUNTER BERG took second. In the men's Special Olympics 200m, BRADYN GIRAUDIER took gold in a photo finish; fast runs in the family, as his brother KYLE GIRAUDIER ran to third. Birthday girl KENDRA FARMER rang in her 20th in style, taking gold in the women's 400m. SKYLAR SMITH went silver in 57.90. Saskatchewan also fared well in the hurdles, taking golds in the 100m women's and 110m men's by NICOLE OSTERTAG and PAYNE WYLIE, respectively. Also in the hurdles races, REBECCA BARKWAY and THOMAS HAIDL earned bronze. MACKINLEY GADER was silver in the women's Special Olympics 200m, with MADALYN GRAMIAK -- the sister of Men's Soccer head coach MIKE GRAMIAK -- taking third. VAUGHN TAYLOR snagged second in the men's 400m. Last but not least, Saskatchewan swept the men's Decathlon, with JAKE NEUFELD, ASAD HUSSAIN, and JORDAN DASIUK going 1, 2, and 3.
  • ATHLETICS - FIELD: After today's win in the shot put, BRETT LACHANCE has two golds to his name. BRADYN GIRAUDIER doubled up on golds tonight as well, earning first place in the men's Special Olympics shot put. MACKINLEY GADER and KYLE GIRAUDIER each took home bronze in the women's and men's Special Olympics shot put, respectively.
  • ROWING: Whitecaps, wind and rain didn't dampen spirits with the Saskatchewan Rowers as they finished a long day of weather delays with three gold medals (Women's Single [LAUREN MATAI], Quad, and Four), two silver (Men's Eight and Quad), and a bronze (Women's pairs [MAYA MARSHALL and MYA KELLN]). The Women's Four's commanding win by ten seconds was made even more dramatic when the oar lock pin and washers fell off the boat at the 1000m mark -- about halfway. With great skill, the rowers were able to remain on course and take the win. 
  • TENNIS: The Tennis team impressed on their last day of competition, with Men's [AUSTIN LIN and WILLIAM PRECIADO] and Women's [CHARLIE MCNEIL and JANA VAN NIEKERK] doubles winning silver medals. NHU NGUYEN-QUACH and DAVID PRECIADO took home the bronze medal in Mixed Doubles and KEEGAN RICE earned a silver medal in Men's Single. The Team Event earned silver to cap off the team's competition.
  • BASEBALL: After an exhilarating win against Alberta (11-4), Sask will take home the bronze medal.
  • WRESTLING: Saskatchewan wrestlers featured in duals today against Nunavut, Yukon and NT. On Saturday, they'll face off against Manitoba at 11 AM and Alberta at 6 PM, and the team is placing a callout to all its fellow Team Sask athletes who are not competing during those times to come out and give Manitoba and Alberta a run for their noise-making money.
  • GOLF: Mission staffer Lonnie reports that Day 1 competition was a roller-coaster of emotion, both weather and gameplay. All eight Saskatchewan athletes golfed well throughout the round, but wind made the competition more difficult as the day progressed. ALEX SWINNERTON finished off his round with par-birdie-par.
  • WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Women's volleyball started the day strong, taking all three sets from Nunavut. They fell to Alberta in their second game of the day. Team Sask will play Manitoba tomorrow.
  • MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Men's volleyball won against Team Nunavut during their first matchup. During their second game of the day, they took a set and threw a scare into Wild Rose Country, but ultimately fell to Alberta. GIVEAWAY: The first five members of Team Sask to respond to this email with the correct interpretation of Volleyball mission staffer Ryan's acronym "LOLS" will win a Team Sask prize.

Phase 2 Photos: https://bit.ly/2KDwO0f
Photo Credit: Desirea Agar, EmClaire Photography
Visit: TeamSask.ca / 2019wcsg.ca
Follow: @goteamsask on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Karen Lawson, Communications Lead
Team Sask / Saskatchewan Games Council
E: klawson@saskgames.ca
C: (306) 529-3120