Photo: Courtesy of Star Flower Photography/Team Yukon – NAIG
YUKON – Team Yukon continues to shine at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games, having been credited with 10 medals so far.
Thursday, July 20, 2023, was another hectic day for Yukon athletes, coaches and volunteers, with a wide range of sports being played.
Jamie Nickel and Jennifer Tuton lost the opening set of their U19 beach volleyball bronze medal match against British Columbia but came back to win the next two and secure a position on the podium. Elsa Gleason and Leah McLean of the U16s defeated Nova Scotia 2-0 to take bronze. Kaelan Basnett and Joe Popadynec, both U16 but playing in the U19 event, battled Nova Scotia in two tight sets but fell short in the bronze medal game.
In the U16 prone rifle shooting category, two Jorgas dominated the podium. Jorga Jackson won gol
d with a score of 392 and Jorja Bellmore-Smarch took bronze with a score of 377. Alex LeBarge found himself on the podium following his performance.
Prone round for U16s. LeBarge got bronze with a score of 457. U16 KJ Kim outshot the rest of the field and finished fourth. Ava Irving-Staley, U19, came up with a score of 505 and set her eyes on another gold medal. Her teammate in U19 Lexi Fields-Birckel had a solid day on the range as well, finishing sixth.
The athletics squad had a successful track and field day. In discus, Ella Johnston finished fourth and Kara McLean finished seventh. Paxton Nelson also finished seventh in the discus. Carson Nelson finished seventh in the long jump, while Will Wilkinson finished 12th and Cullen Sias finished 17th in the 150m.
Jase Johnstone finished sixth in U19 golf after three rounds at Links at Brunello with a total score of 251. Chayce Tuton, who competed in the same class, came in 12th place out of 24. Drake Cooper, U16, finished the day with an 89. His overall score for the three rounds was 252, placing him eighth. Alexis Smith, U16, persevered to the end to complete her three rounds.
On the last day of competition, the swim team competed in 16 finals. It was another day filled with personal bests, nail-biters, podium finishes, and eight more medals. Reese Jackson had a solid day in terms of personal bests but fell just short of the podium. Corbin Jackson earned three silver medals, Kassua Dreyer got two gold medals and a silver medal, and Tuja Dreyer won two additional gold medals.
Jackson talked briefly in an interview about how he prepares every day.
“Working up to the actual swim day. So yesterday today, I didn’t really eat too many sugary foods just kind of stick to vegetables and protein. And Monday and Tuesday. We had some time in the pool. So we went into some, we did practice on those two days and we’re walking around lots so we’re not taking the bus too much. I was at the Summer Games last year. So I kind of had a bit of a taste of what it was going to be like, but it’s still a bit nerve-wracking going up to those events and actually doing it”
Here is the full interview with swimmer Reese Jackson with The Rush’s Curtis Geroux.
