Nunavut athletes sweep Inuit games

Young athletes from Nunavut returned from the Arctic Winter Games in Alaska with 75 shiny ulu-shaped medals.

That puts Nunavut in fifth place, squarely in the middle of the pack of their circumpolar neighbours. Alaska grabbed the most medals, 191, followed by Alberta North with 129, the Northwest Territories with 105, and the Yukon with 81.

Behind Nunavut came Yamal-Nenets with 50, Greenland with 48, Nunavik with 28 and the Saami contestants with 21.

Nunavut dominated in Inuit games, as well as speed skating.

Susie Pearce from Iqaluit took home several ulus from the high kick competitions, including a gold medal for the two-foot high kick. Sean Nipisar from Whale Cove won gold in the men’s competition for the same category.

Bradley Ikkutisluk from Gjoa Haven won gold for the Alaskan high kick, and Steven Klengenberg also took gold for the Kneel jump.

Meanwhile, Nunavut’s speedy skaters took home 12 medals from five different categories.

That includes Manasie Steven Kendall from Iqaluit, who won gold in the 500-metre race, 666-metre race, 777-metre race and 1,000-metre race.

As well, Team Nunavut won gold for the 2,000-metre relay race.

Nunavut placed well in the Dene games as well, with Tom Naqitarvik, 19, from Arctic Bay winning gold in the snow snake. It was his first AWG.

And Nunavummiut did well on the wrestling mats too, with Randy Takkataq Kataluk from Coral Harbour winning gold in his weight class, up to 62 kilos.