SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. Light rain and a cool wind greeted athletes for the first day of track and field competition at the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games.

While it didn't rain hard or often enough to postpone competition Wednesday, spectators were huddled up in jackets under their umbrellas

while the athletes wore full track suits until just seconds before their event started.

Not exactly ideal track weather, although the members of Team Yukon

seemed unfazed by it.

Yukoners raced in the 1,500 metre, 400-metre and 100-metre events to start off their track stint at the Games, as well as the Special

Olympics 200-metre event. While they failed to make it past the preliminary rounds in the 400, 100 and 200 the 1,500 metre is only run once most of them felt their goals had been met.

'I wanted to get under a minute in the 400 and it was 58 seconds, so that was good,' said Robbie Westberg, who was competing in his first 400-metre event Wednesday.

'A bunch of the girls still kicked my butt but that's OK.'

Westberg said he was impressed with the facilities at Strathcona Athletic Park, pointing out there is no true track stadium in Whitehorse.

'I absolutely loved it. It was awesome. And the guys I ran with were

cool too. They shook my hand and told me to have a good run.'

This is Westberg's first time at the Western Canada Summer Games and

he's not alone, as the track team is fairly green.

Robyn Chambers, the head coach for the Special Olympics athletes from

the Yukon, said her team is similar in that regard.

'Britt (Cowper) is the only recurring track athlete. Garry (Chaplin),

Owen (Munroe) and Mallory (Pigage) are all new to the track scene. Today

was their first track competition ever and everybody had personal bests.

'It was awesome. I was blown away.'

Chambers said most of the athletes were pleasantly surprised when they

arrived at the track stadium and took a look at the loop.

'It was pretty cool watching their eyes go big when they saw what a real

track looks like.'

Chambers said Special Olympics Yukon athletes had been training for the track and field competition indoors throughout the winter, before switching to outdoor training once the snow had melted.

Four of them were selected from the open group when they got closer to Games time. Originally, they were being coached by Tanya Doyle, but she was unable to make the trip to Edmonton and Chambers was selected in her place about a month ago.

So far, Chambers is enjoying the experience.

'It's even better being in Phase Two, because they've kind of worked out all the glitches now.'

Westberg has also been impressed with the atmosphere and facilities

around Sherwood Park.

'It's been great. The food is kind of sketchy, but other than that, it's good.

'Team Yukon, we're all really tight. We hang out all the time. We're a family.'

Today in athletics, Team Yukon will compete in the 800-metre heats,

as well as the shot put event.

Here are the Yukon results from Wednesday's track events:

Special Olympics

Male 200 metres

Owen Munroe, 5th in Heat 1, 32.69

Garry Chaplin, 7th in Heat 1, 45.44

Special Olympics

Female 200 metres

Brittany Cowper, 5th in Heat 1, N/A

Mallory Pigage, 5th in Heat 2, 1:42.52

Female 1,500 metres

Brittany Pearson, 12th overall, 5:05.88

Heidi Brook, 13th overall, 5:37.44

Male 1,500 metres

Knute Johnsgaard, 12th overall, 5:07.57

Female 400 Metres

Brittany Pearson, 7th in Heat 1, 1:06.34

Male 400 metres

Robbie Westberg, 6th in Heat 1, 58.62

James Yeulet, 7th in Heat 1, 58.97

Female 100 metres

Janelle Greer, 7th in Heat 1, 14.12

Male 100 metres

Boris Hoefs, 7th in Heat 1, 12.48