Team Yukon wins gold in hand games at 2024 Arctic Winter Games

Yukon drummers play their new drums as Team Yukon competes in hand games at the 2024 Arctic Winter Games in Mat-Su, Alaska (Photo: Sarah Cardinal)

Yukon athletes have won 68 medals at the Games so far, with many more still up for grabs.

The pounding of drums and the scent of burning sage filled the Menard Memorial Sports Centre as the Dene Games competition resumed on day four of the Arctic Winter Games in Mat-Su, Alaska. Team Yukon won a gold medal in the open female category of today’s competition: hand games.

Four Arctic Sports events were held on Wednesday, and Yukon’s Brooke Stephen earned a bronze medal in junior female Arm Pull. Tomorrow’s schedule holds the men’s events for one foot and Alaskan High Kick, as well as open kneel jump in both male and female categories.

Yukon’s gymnastics team took bronze in team bars, beam, vault, and floor events on Wednesday. The individual events for gymnastics will take place on Friday.

Team Yukon continues to perform well on the slopes, winning four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in banked slalom snowboarding; as well as four gold and two bronze medals in parallel slalom events. The alpine skiers are done for the Games, but the snowboarders return to Skeetawk tomorrow for Snowboard Cross.

Team Yukon has more than doubled its medal count from 33 Wednesday morning to 68 Wednesday night, still following Team Alaska with an impressive 100 medals after four days of competition. Over 300 medals have been awarded so far, with plenty more to go.

Thursday brings more competition, including the U18 men’s hockey finals. However, there will also be an Indigenous Fashion Show and concert by Anchorage-based Inuit-soul musical group Pamyua in the evening.

To livestream the Arctic Winter Games, visit awg2024.org. 

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