The Yukon government recently announced the 2020 Celebration of Sport Excellence award winners.

The recipients are recognized for achieving a level of excellence or a special level of accomplishment in their sport.

There were 20 winners of the Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence and six winners of the Minister’s Award of Sport Recognition, representing eight sports.

Delia Therriault of Whitehorse is one of five members of the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle archery team to win a Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence.

Therriault, now 13, set a Canadian record in Pre-Cub Barebow in the Multi-Sites Indoor Championships of the Americas (MICA) on Dec. 16, 2020 as a 12-year-old.

“I feel pretty good,” Therriault said of the award this week.

“I didn’t think I would get this far this fast. I’m really happy I did. It feels good. I’m happy I got this far.”

Therriault attributes her success, and the success of the team, to her coach, Warren Kapaniuk, as well as to her dad, Steve, who took a coaching course to help Therriault develop her archery skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while living in Mayo, she was able to shoot more than the team in Whitehorse as a result of her relationship with her dad/coach.

Emmet Kapaniuk (Warren’s son), now 15, also set a Canadian record during the MICA event as a Cub in the crossbow competition. He has also won multiple gold medals in crossbow.

That success has resulted in him winning a Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence as well.

“It’s always great to be recognized for Team Yukon,” he told the Star this week.

“You put in the work and they…put a release out and you get rewarded for all your hard work. It just feels good,” Kapaniuk stated.

Kapaniuk has been blown away by the team’s success.

“It’s crazy,” he said.

“Thinking back to what it used to be, just four of us. We’d be lucky to get a bronze medal at a competition.

“To now, going out and getting all these awards and all these national gold medals, it’s absolutely crazy.”

Kapaniuk said his father, and the coach of the team, has been instrumental in the team’s success.

“He’s definitely put in all the hours. He’s done all the research and stuff. The team wouldn’t exist without him,” said the younger Kapaniuk.

As for his future, Kapaniuk said he would like to compete in the World Championships, and eventually turn pro in the U.S., competing in such prestigious tournaments as the Vegas Shoot, which he says pays out $70,000.

The other three award-winning members of the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle archery team are Gabriela Browning, Kemper Murray and Mitchell Rudolph.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the award winners will be recognized with a video message from Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn, and celebrated virtually.

A complete list of award winners can be found at https://yukon.ca/en/news/government-yukon-announces-2020-recipients-annual-sport-awards.

By Morris Prokop