SWIFT CURRENT, SK (August 9, 2019): The 2019 Western Canada Games in Swift Current will officially open with tonight’s Opening Ceremony at 7 PM. Team Sask will be led into the ceremony by flag bearer and Canoe Kayak athlete CHRISTIAN PATTERSON (Regina).

The first phase of competition takes place from August 9th through 13th, and will see 167 of Saskatchewan’s top amateur athletes compete in Male and Female Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Canoe Kayak, Cycling, Male and Female Soccer, Male and Female Softball, and Swimming (including Special Olympics). Phase two athletes will arrive on August 13th and will compete through August 18th.

TEAM SASK MEDAL COUNT: 
GOLD: 0 | SILVER: 0 | BRONZE: 0

DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Women’s Soccer's opening game ended in a 1-1 tie with Manitoba. Saskatchewan's goal was scored by NAMMI NGUYEN (Saskatoon).
  • Men’s Soccer fell 3-1 to Manitoba, with Saskatchewan's goal scored by ROBERT WOODROOFE-BROWN (Regina).
  • The 2019 Western Canada Summer Games Opening Ceremony will be available to watch via livestream here.

TEAM SASK SPOTLIGHT:

  • Cycling athlete B’YAULING TONI (Saskatoon) is the youngest person to have circumnavigated the world by bike unsupported, cycling over 31,000 kilometres in 2018 and 2019. Read more 
  • The parents of Women’s Softball player HILARY DZIOBA (Regina) are both Team Sask alumni, having competed at the 1989 Canada Summer Games in Saskatoon in Softball (mom Heather) and Volleyball (dad Ryan).
  • Canoe Kayak athlete JAYDEN HINGLEY (Saskatoon) earned four medals at the 2018 Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships, and was the recipient of the Saskatoon First Nations and Metis Friendship Centre 2019 Indigenous Graduate Athletic Award.

RESOURCES: 
Full Results: https://bit.ly/31sAs2x
Schedule: https://bit.ly/2YWqaGe
Photos: Available beginning August 10
Visit: TeamSask.ca / 2019wcsg.ca
Follow: @goteamsask on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

ABOUT TEAM SASK AND THE WESTERN CANADA SUMMER GAMES: 
Athletes who compete at the Western Canada Summer Games represent the country’s next generation of national, international and Olympic champions. Team Sask alumni and Olympians KAYLYN KYLE, TARYN SUTTIE and ERICA GAVEL (Paralympian) can all count their previous Western Canada Summer Games experiences as a stepping stone to the highest levels of sport. Many of the athletes competing in Swift Current will go on to compete at the Canada Games, North American Indigenous Games, and even the Olympics.

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