Team Yukon arrives back after successful Summer Games

There were plenty of tired faces on both the Yukon’s Canada Summer Games contingent and the people waiting patiently for them on Sunday morning.

There were plenty of tired faces on both the Yukon’s Canada Summer Games contingent and the people waiting patiently for them on Sunday morning.

Family, friends and members of the media greeted the team, which arrived back at the Whitehorse international airport well after midnight.

Things perked up immediately though when members of Team Yukon began trickling in through the arrival doors.

This year, the territory enjoyed one of its most successful Summer Games ever, which were held in Prince Edward Island.

The Yukon’s performance was highlighted by four medals won by Whitehorse Glacier Bears swimmer Alexandra Gabor. The 16-year-old claimed her final medal on Friday, powering her way to a third place finish in the 800-m freestyle. This was Gabor’s second bronze at the Summer Games.

Her first medal came last Tuesday in the 100-m freestyle when she finished in third.

This was the first time a Yukon swimmer ever medalled at the Canada Summer Games. Just one day later Gabor finished first overall in the 400-m free and then won another gold this past Thursday in the 200-m freestyle.

Before Gabor’s first place showing, the Yukon had never won a gold medal at the Canada Summer Games.

The Whitehorse resident capped off a memory-filled week when she was named the Yukon’s flag bearer for the closing ceremonies.

“It was an honour,” she said about carrying the flag. “It was just amazing to be able to do that for the Yukon.”

In the past Gabor has carried the Yukon flag at the Western Canada Games, however she said it was more exciting on the national stage.

This has been a busy summer for Gabor who, before attending the Canada Summer Games, competed at the World Championships and British Grand Prix.

She said her performance at the Canada Summer Games was a nice way to top off the summer.

“It’s great to win golds and bronzes nationally at this kind of competition,” she said.

“Hopefully in the next couple of years I will be winning golds and bronzes internationally at worlds and Commonwealth’s, that sort of thing.”

She said her experience at the Summer Games and international competitions this summer will be a good step in preparing her for future meets. 

This was Gabor’s second and final time attending the Canada Summer Games as an athlete, a fact that made winning the medals even more special. 

“It was nice to finish that kind of part of my career, you could call it, with this kind of success.”

Other swimming highlights included  Kate McArthur, who took three seconds off her best time in the 50-m butterfly. McArthur’s final time was 32.81, while Spencer Sumanik reduced his personal best time in the 800-m freestyle by one minute.

Marek Poplawski, head coach of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears, said the majority of Yukon swimmer had at least one best time at the Canada Summer Games.

“They did very well,” he said.

Poplawski said the Yukon was noticed in the pool at the 2009 Games.

“When we arrived to the Games I saw the big board with the medal count, so Ontario, Alberta, B.C. and the Yukon wasn’t even on board because there was no medals,” he said. “Then when we were leaving we were pretty high, I don’t know how high. They were going by gold medals, so some provinces had a lot of medals, but not gold, so we were up in the top five I think.

“I think that was the best part to see the Yukon in the medal standings, all the people walking by everyday could see that.”

Ron Sumanik, president of Swim Yukon, said the team did a fabulous job this past week.

“This was an outstanding team performance,” he said. “The best I have ever seen in my 10 years involved in swimming. These kids were phenomenal in just about every race and we did make Games history with our objective to put the best team in the pool and that was really on their shoulders.”

He acknowledged what Gabor achieved, saying it was particularly impressive because of all the travel she did earlier in the season.

“She probably set herself for the Yukon Sports Hall of Fame for that week alone,” Sumanik said. “Here’s a kid that’s been travelling and performing world championship trials, world championships, Grand Prix in northern England and then going into Canada Games and 45, 60 days of travel and racing just to perform like that, I mean what can you say? It sort of speaks for itself.”

Sumanik said the parents of the swim team members should be very proud.

“If anybody was wondering what the they were doing at -40 C in front of the liquor store selling raffle tickets and working Sunday BINGO it’s all been validated in six short days.”