Yukoners wrapped up the biannual Canada 55+ Games with 59 medals racked up over four days of events.
The national games held this year in Quebec City, Quebec, concluded on Aug. 30 with 162 Yukoners participating, a contingent larger than Prince Edward Island’s, Newfoundland’s and New Brunswick’s teams.
Team Yukon brought home 22 gold medals, 19 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals across a mix of 12 sporting and game events.
“The bulk of us were staying at a particular hotel in Quebec City, and that’s where staff are based, out of the administrative office that any member of the team could go into at any time and get any kind of information. So, a very well-organized team well supported by the Elder Active Association and the Department of Community Services,” Team Yukon’s Tom Ullyett said.
Yukoners earned over half the medals in athletic swimming and track events with a majority of the golds coming from Team Yukon swimmers.
Nesta Leduc made a splash and snagged two silver medals in the competitive swimming event. The 91-year-old was honoured as the oldest participant in the games.
Leduc consistently represents the territory in national sporting events. She competed on the dragon boating team in a demonstration race at the 2022 Kamloops, B.C, Canada 55+ Games.
Off the water, Leduc has spent decades orienteering around the territory. In 2013, the retired doctor earned three gold medals at the Canadian Orienteering Championships in Hamilton, Ontario. That same year, she competed in the World Masters Orienteering Championships in Italy, bringing home two bronze medals.
Theresa Lindsay, competing in the 60-64 age category, secured gold medals in four events: the 50-metre and 100-metre backstroke, the 50-metre freestyle, and the 100-metre medley. Her consistently strong performance made an impressive contribution to Team Yukon’s take-home gold medals.
Team Yukon secured a total of 22 medals in the track and field events. Marcella Abrams earned two gold medals and one silver for the 3000-metre, 800-metre, and 1500-metre events, respectively.
Ullyett won a bronze medal in the track event and shared his experience with the News, praising the highly organized efforts of Team Yukon during this year’s games.
Ullyett modestly talked about earning bronze for the 5-kilometre race by chalking his success up to luck following his three-time Olympian rival, Pierre Harvey of Quebec, sustaining a hamstring injury.
“I’m running along and there’s Pierre Harvey limping by the side of the trail holding his hamstring," he said.
Ullyett noted that the former Olympian did finish the event but had to walk or run slowly.
Helen Dewell from Dawson City dominated the competition in duckpin bowling, achieving a flawless game. She bowled a perfect 300 in the over-65 category, earning a gold medal.
Team Yukon’s dart players excelled, with John Hadvick and Tim McLachlan winning gold in the men’s doubles over-65 category. McLachlan also secured gold in the men’s singles, while Hadvick earned bronze.
In 2022, Hadvick earned a territorial sports award by winning a trifecta of gold medals in men’s doubles, men’s singles, and mixed doubles darts at the previous Canada 55+ Games.
Luanne Kotelko defeated Eileen Close in the quarterfinals of the 8-ball pool competition and went on to win the gold for Team Yukon.
Meanwhile, in pickleball, Chic Galla and Sue Lin secured a bronze medal in mixed doubles in the over-65 category after a closely contested match with another Yukon team.
Team Yukon was unsuccessful in securing medals in the hockey, slo-pitch, curling, or golf events.
Ullyett notes during his discussion with the News that Team Yukon certainly punched above its weight in terms of numbers and medals and that similar success should be anticipated for the 2026 Canada 55+ Games in Winnipeg.
Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com
