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Seventeen-year-old Marcus Capili is set to represent Saskatchewan at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in Newfoundland next month, the next step in an athletic journey that has already made him one of Moose Jaw’s most promising dual-sport competitors.
Capili, a Vanier Collegiate student, will compete in three cycling events: the road race, time trial, and criterium. He’s looking forward to the opportunity, calling it a critical stepping stone.
“It’s pretty cool. It’s a good opportunity to kind of get my name out there too,” Capili said this week.
“I’m hoping to get a good result there… I’m working really hard to get to the next steps, to get on what we call a trade team, which is basically a step above the provincial team. That’s my goal for next season and this is a really good stepping stone for that.”
The Canada Games cycling events will test riders over distances ranging from approximately 15 to 120 kilometers, with varied formats and conditions.
“The road race will be about 120 kilometers,” Capili explained. “The time trial is a solo effort, anywhere between 15 to 30 kilometers, and the criterium is probably about an hour on a shorter course, with lots of turns.”
Capili’s commitment to training is no small feat. He’s riding about 15 hours a week on the highways around Moose Jaw, primarily solo, mixing endurance rides and high-intensity intervals, plus time in the weight room. All of this he juggles alongside his year-round training in speed skating, where he’s also excelled.
Capili captured four medals at the 2023 Saskatchewan Winter Games, including three gold medals and a silver in short-track speed skating. He went on to qualify for national-level short-track meets, a rare accomplishment for a Saskatchewan skater.
In cycling, Capili has raced at major junior events including the Canadian Junior Road Championships in Quebec and this year’s Canadian Gravel Championships, where he placed fifth among junior men — a strong showing for an athlete still relatively new to elite-level road racing.
His long-term ambition is to earn a spot on a cycling trade team and pursue a professional career.
“Europe’s a lot bigger scene for cycling,” he said. “It’s a European sport… there are a lot more opportunities there. So, racing in Europe next season would be one of my bigger goals.”
For now, Capili is focused on his immediate target: showing what Moose Jaw athletes can do on a national stage.
“I’m hoping my fitness is where I want it to be once I get there,” he said. “Hopefully I can find a really good result. That’s what I’m focused on.”
The Canada Summer Games take place in St. John’s, Newfoundland from August 8 to 25. Learn more at canadagames.ca.