Team Sask Flagbearer Announced for the 2017 Canada Summer Games Closing Ceremony

WINNIPEG, MB (August 12th, 2017): Team Sask is pleased to announce that Shelby Newkirk of Saskatoon will lead Saskatchewan’s contingent as the flagbearer for the 2017 Canada Summer Games Closing Ceremony on August 13th.

Newkirk, 21, is the most decorated Team Sask athlete of this year's Winnipeg Games with six medals to her name. Throughout the course of the swimming competition, Newkirk competed in seven paraswimming events and earned four gold and two silver medals. She trains with the Saskatoon Lasers Swim Club under coach Erik Kramer.

Newkirk has had a hugely successful career in the sport since first entering the pool five years ago: she currently holds seven Canadian records, two Americas records, and is ranked first in the world in the S7 paraswimming category. With considerable multisport games and international experience, including the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke and this fall's upcoming World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City, Newkirk is looking towards representing Canada at the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo.

"Shelby has been an outstanding representative of our province at the 2017 Canada Summer Games," commented Team Sask Chef de Mission Mark Bracken. "Even beyond her athletic achievements, it is also her leadership qualities, her natural fit as a role model for the rest of Team Sask, and her vast accomplishments in the sport of paraswimming that have made her so deserving of this opportunity." 

Steven Hitchings, head coach of Team Sask said: "We're very proud of Shelby. It's been a long Games and she's had a lot of events, but she led the way in her professional approach and by taking care of her own performance through proper preparation and proper recovery afterwards. We're really happy to see her succeed the way she did this week." 

The Closing Ceremony will be broadcast live on TSN at 2:00 PM CST on Sunday, August 13th.

Team Sask results and medal counts are updated live at https://cg2017.gems.pro.

The official Team Sask website is located at www.teamsask.ca. The 2017 Canada Summer Games website is located at 2017canadagames.ca.

###

For more information, please contact:
Karen Lawson
Games Services & Communications Lead
(306) 780-9387
klawson@saskgames.ca