Saskatchewan atop NAIG medal standings

Thursday, July 20th, 2023 11:48am

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The North American Indigenous Games began July 15. Closing ceremonies will be held on July 23.
By Sam Laskaris, Windspeaker.com

The Saskatchewan contingent was leading the over-all medal standings at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) heading into July 20 action.

About 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff have converged in Nova Scotia for this year’s Games, which began July 15.

Indigenous athletes from across Canada and the United States are participating in a total of 16 sports at the Games, which will see competitions continue until July 22.

The Games’ closing ceremonies will then be held on July 23.

The majority of the sports are being contested at various venues in the Nova Scotia capital of Halifax. Millbrook First Nation and the city of Dartmouth are also hosting NAIG events.

Saskatchewan athletes had earned a total of 23 medals, which included six gold, eights silver and nine bronze.

British Columbia was next in line as its athletes had captured 18 medals, including six gold. B.C. had also earned seven silver and five bronze medals.

All 10 Canadian provinces and three territories have sent representatives to the Games. Nine U.S. states and a Haudenosaunee contingent are also competing.

This marks the 10th edition of the NAIG, which were first held in 1990 in Edmonton.

The current Games had originally been scheduled to take place in 2020. But they were pushed back a couple of times to this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic.