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A local athlete took home silver for Team Alberta at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island (P.E.I).
Katie Bajema is a 14-year-old wheelchair basketball player raised in Sturgeon County.
"I grew up northeast of Gibbons...on an acreage," said Bajema.
Bajema grew a love for wheelchair basketball just a year ago.
"I started in the summer. My friend's sister asked me to come out to practice, and then we did some scrimmaging."
After playing over the summer, she was able to crack the roster for Team Alberta at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
Team Alberta swept the competition during the preliminary round, losing only to British Columbia.
Alberta took out Saskatchewan in the quarterfinals with a score of 66-40. They then played well in the semifinals.
"We did great in the semifinals against Quebec, it was really close," said Bajema.
However, Team Alberta lost in the gold medal game against British Columbia by a score of 79-32.
"It was nerve-wracking, but it was a great experience because plenty of other athletes were cheering us on."
Bajema returned home with a silver medal.
As for what the future holds, she'll keep doing what she loves - playing basketball.
"I want to go into the U25 Women's National Team camp, and then I'm going to keep training for the next Winter Games."