Saskatchewan will be sending 311 athletes, coaches and mission staff to the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.
The roster was announced during a send-off on Thursday.
The athletes will be competing in 19 sports in a competition that only takes place every four years.
“All of my friends went to the other ones because they were older,” long track speed skater Marc-Andre Doyon said. “So they went to the 2015 Winter Games and I told myself I wanted to go to the 2019 Winter Games.”
Many of the athletes selected have already competed in national and international competitions, but for most this will be their first multi-sport games.
“Artistic swimming, it’s a really cool sport but it’s quite small,” Sydney Carroll said. “There aren’t many people especially in Saskatchewan, so it’s pretty cool to have the whole province of Saskatchewan cheering on.”
Mark Bracken was named Saskatchewan’s Chef de Mission for the second time and says the games will help the athletes prepares for bigger events like the Olympics.
“It really is in some cases a stepping stone for them to go on to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada at the next level,” Bracken said.
The 2019 Canada Winter Games opens on Feb. 15.
Based on reporting by CTV’s Claire Hanna
