It didn't take long for Team Yukon to get on the medal board at the 2008 North American Indigenous Games, which began Monday in Cowichan, B.C.

In the first day of competition, Robin Chambers showcased her skills on the track in the 400-m distance event. Chambers' time of 1:13:14 placed her third overall and earned the Yukon its first medal of the competition.

"I'm suspecting our athletes to do pretty well at these Games," said Dean Mastrangelo, the Yukon's Chef De Mission. "So far we are off to a good start and our bigger medal events are coming up in a couple days like wrestling, archery and badminton. So (a) good start so far."

Team Yukon has competed at the North American Indigenous Games since 1990 when they were held in Edmonton, Alberta.

This year's group is comprised of 130 athletes, coaches, mission staff, cultural performers and chaperones.

The Yukon athletes will compete in eight events, including archery, athletics, swimming, rifle shooting, badminton, female volleyball, golf, male soccer and female soccer.

On Friday, a pep rally was held in the Elijah Smith Elementary School gym, which gave supporters a chance to come out and cheer on the entire Team Yukon group before they departed for B.C.

Other participating teams at this years games include Alberta, B.C., Eastern Door and the North, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

The Yukon's female midget soccer team also competed on Monday against a very tough Saskatchewan squad.

Despite great goaltending by Yukoner Christina Anderson, Saskatchewan ended up winning 5-0.

In other competition, Yukoner Dallayce Smith finished in 12th place in the bantam long jump event. Smith's total distance was 2.62 metres.

Team Yukon's midget female soccer squad and juvenile male soccer team will compete later today against B.C.

The Yukon's juvenile female volleyball team will face Saskatchewan.