The southeast was well represented over the weekend as local athletes took part in the Special Olympics Saskatchewan Summer Games swimming events in Swift Current.
One swimmer from Estevan and two from Weyburn made the trek and returned home with medals.
“It was absolutely amazing. We had so much fun,” said coach Carrie Curtis.
After arriving in Swift Current, the athletes enjoyed a game of mini-golf and some ice cream before resting up for the competition.
Swimming took place on Saturday in an outdoor pool. While the cool temperatures and wind posed a challenge, the swimmers pushed through.
“There was lots of cheering, lots of medals to be had, and by the end of the day, all three swimmers got medals, so quite an impressive day,” Curtis said.
The athletes competed in 25 and 50 metre races in breaststroke, back crawl and freestyle.
Nash Warren earned one gold, two silver and one bronze medal.
Albert Ribling brought home two silver medals.
Antonious Quist won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal.
Special guests at the medal ceremony included Swift Current city councillor Leanne Tuntland-Wiebe and Swift Current MLA Everett Hindley.
When asked about the experience, Ribling said he had “lots of fun” and enjoyed seeing his friends and spending time with his support staff. He noted that backstroke was the most difficult event, but said he trained hard for the competition over several weeks or months.
He also gave a shout-out to his supporters, including someone named Zachary, and said he was thankful for the experience.
Curtis noted that although this year’s team was small, she is optimistic about the future.
“Our club is growing, but we're always looking for more swimmers, whether it be youth or adults, and always looking for more volunteers as the group grows,” she said.
The swimmers have been training since October. The Weyburn athletes were based in Estevan for part of the season after the Weyburn pool shut down earlier this year. A maintenance closure at the Estevan pool also caused a temporary break in training.
“Here, our swimming club is a little bit smaller, but since we started going competitive, which was just last year, we've definitely had more interest. So the club will be growing, which I’m super excited about,” Curtis said.
Next up for Special Olympics is the bocce team, which will be in action this coming weekend.