Nunavut nets 39 medals, Nunavik has 23 as AWG wind down

The Arctic Winter Games may be winding down, but Nunavut’s and Nunavik’s medal counts continue to rise.

Nunavut’s medal haul now stands at 39 while Nunavik has notched 23 podium placements. However, more golds could be on the way with the continuation of short track speedskating, table tennis and Arctic sports and Dene games on Friday afternoon.

Nunavut’s under-18 male futsal team will have a chance at gold when they face-off against Team Yukon on Saturday.

Their under-18 female futsal counterparts took bronze against Team Northwest Territories on Friday.

Nunavut’s under-18 male hockey team won the bronze medal match against Yukon on Thursday by a score of 6-2.

However, in an unexpected turn of events, chef de mission Mariele dePeuter said in a statement posted to Team Nunavut’s Facebook page on Friday that the team will not accept the medal due to “actions of individual members” on the team.

“The actions taken by some members of Team Nunavut were not consistent with the Team Nunavut code of conduct. We will not be commenting on those actions at this time,” Heather Grant, a spokesperson for the Department of Community and Government Services, said in an email to Nunatsiaq News on Friday.

Nunavut did garner some other team victories as the medal matches got underway, with the under-18 female volleyball team celebrating a bronze medal win Friday.

Short track speedskater Akutaq Williamson Bathory added a third gold medal to her collection from the 2024 Games, taking top prize in the female 777-metre race.

Her gold medal win, with a time of 48.84 seconds, on Tuesday in the 500-metre race broke an Arctic Winter Games record set in 2006, coach Martine Dupont said.

Teammate Miles Brewster also took bronze in the male 777-metre race.

Other Nunavut gold medal winners include the table tennis teams in mixed doubles and the team event, now-triple gold medal winner Danica Taylor who added a gold medal in the Alaskan high kick to her collection from these Games, and wrestler Craig Aulatjut in the 78-kilogram male competition.

Silver medals went to Dominik Qaqqasiq for Dene games all-around open male, Jusipi Dimitruk in 70-kilogram male wrestling category, Julian Gissing in 85-kilogram male wrestling, and Team Nunavut in under-18 mixed doubles table tennis.

Rounding out the bronze medal wins were wrestlers Samson Emiktowt, Jaden Niviatsiak and LisaAnn Nuvaqiq in their respective weight and gender categories, Roxanne Kigutaq in Dene games finger pull and Team Nunavut in under-15 mixed table tennis.

Nunavik’s medal total now sits at 23, including four more gold medals from Thursday’s competitions.

Three golds came in Dene games events: Samantha Rupert for the finger pull and the female all-around event, and Louisa Berthe, also for the finger pull in the open female group.

Team Nunavik also took gold in mixed doubles table tennis.

Two silvers went to Aiva Lingard in two Dene games events, finger pull and the female all-around event for athletes born after 2006.

Dene games teammate Tina Misfurd earned her second individual medal at the Games, taking silver in the all-around open female event, while Arctic sports athlete Joseph Nowkawalk took silver in the open male kneel jump. Team Nunavik also won silver in the table tennis mixed event.

Bronzes went to Ambriel Rupert in Dene games finger pull, Judith Alaku Naluiyuk in Dene games all-around open female, and Team Nunavik for the mixed event for players born after 2009.

Events will continue for most sports through Friday, with futsal matches wrapping up Saturday ahead of the closing ceremonies later that day.

The Games are being hosted in Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley.