The Government of Yukon, Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle, Sport Yukon and Special Olympics Yukon celebrated the territory’s athletes, coaches and volunteers with an award ceremony on February 9, 2026. The awards were presented based on athletes’ accomplishments in 2025.
The Government of Yukon recognizes recipients with two awards: the Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence and the Minister’s Award of Sport Recognition.
The Premier’s Award recognizes the achievements of outstanding Yukon athletes who competed on the international or national stage. It was presented to 21 athletes.
The Minister’s Award is presented to athletes or teams who excelled at Arctic Winter Games, Canada 55+ Games, provincials, Western Canadian or national competitions. It was presented to 57 athletes.
The Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle awards were given to six recipients, including one Indigenous athlete of the year, an Indigenous coach of the year, the athletic career excellence award and an exemplary person in arctic sports, Dene Games and archery.
Additionally, the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle recognized four recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medals.
The Sport Yukon Major Awards are presented each year to Yukoners for their significant contributions and achievement in sport. A total of seven awards were presented for administrator, coach and athletes of the year.
Special Olympics Yukon enriches the lives of over 120 Yukoners with an intellectual disability through sport. Each year, Special Olympics presents the following awards: Athletes of the Year, Most Improved Athletes of the Year, Athlete and Sport Volunteer Rising Stars and the Heather Miller Sport Volunteer of the Year.
The Government of Yukon is proud to support our territory’s athletes. I congratulate everyone who was presented with an award. It is well-deserved recognition for your dedication to sport. I wish you all the best as you pursue your future goals.
Congratulations to all the award winners, it has been a pleasure watching our athletes succeed on the national and international stage. I also extend my thanks to the coaches, parents, guardians and volunteers for their devotion to athletes and programming.
Sport teaches us to strive, to lead, and to support one another. Congratulations to all the 2025 award recipients – you represent the spirit and values that make our territory strong.
The sport and recreation community in the Yukon continues to give us so much to be proud of. We are honoured to recognize the efforts and successes of our athletes, coaches, and administrators. Congratulations to our recipients and thank you for representing the Yukon so well.
Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients! It makes us proud how you represent our small, mighty, inclusive and diverse Sport Community.
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The Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence is presented to an athlete or team who has accomplished one of the following while representing the Yukon or Canada:
- they must win a gold medal at tier/division one of Provincials or Western Canadian Championships; or
- they must win a gold, silver or bronze medal or receive special distinction at tier/division one of National Championships, Canada Games or Major international events; or
- they must participate as a member of Team Canada at the Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics World Games, Pan or Parapan American Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships.
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The Minister’s Award of Sport Recognition is presented to athletes or teams who have accomplished the following:
- they must win a gold medal at the Arctic Winter Games, North American Indigenous Games or Canada 55+ Games; or
- they must win a gold, silver or bronze medal or receive special designation at tier/division two or lower of National, Provincial or Western Canadian championships; or
- they must win a silver or bronze medal or receive special designation at tier/division one of Western Canadian Championships or provincials.
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The Government of Yukon supports the territory’s athletes, coaches and officials through programs like the Foundations and Podium Pathways, as well as High Performance and Elite Athlete funding.
Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence
Name | Sport | Competition(s) | Event(s) | Placing/Achievement |
Avery Meger | Archery | Final Winter Shoot Canada Cup West Archery Nationals | Women U13 Compound | Canadian 600 U13 Compound record Silver Bronze |
Mya Wilson | Archery | Canadian Outdoor Target Championship | Women U18 Barebow | Canadian record 393 points |
Cheyenne Tirschmann | Biathlon | World Youth/Junior Championships 2025 Canadian and North American Championships | Youth women
Women Junior men/women mixed relay | Represented Canada
Gold Silver |
Logan Tirschmann | Biathlon | 2025 Canadian and North American Championships | U17 men’s mass start | Silver |
Cole Germain | Biathlon | 2025 Canadian and North American Championships | Junior men/women mixed relay | Silver |
Derek Deuling | Cross Country Skiing | FIS Nordic Junior & U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships |
| Represented Canada
|
Sasha Masson | Cross Country Skiing | FIS World Championships FIS Nordic Junior & U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships |
| Represented Canada
|
Sonjaa Schmidt | Cross Country Skiing | FIS World Championships FIS Nordic Junior & U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships |
| Represented Canada
|
Constance Lapointe | Cross Country Skiing | 2025 Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals FIS Nordic Junior & U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships | 1km sprint 20km
| Gold Bronze Represented Canada
|
Aramintha Bradford | Cross Country Skiing | FIS Nordic Junior and U23 Cross Country World Ski Championships 2025 Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals |
10km sprint | Represented Canada
Bronze |
Sophia Giangrande | Cross Country Skiing | 2025 Nordiq Canada Ski Nationals FISU World University Games | 20 km 10km skate | Silver Bronze Represented Canada |
Padraig “Darby” McIntyre | Cross Country Skiing | 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games | 4x1km relay | Gold
|
Owen Munroe | Cross Country Skiing | 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games | 4x1km relay | Bronze |
Gavin McKenna | Hockey | 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship |
| Represented Canada
|
Lia Hinchey | Judo | Canadian Open Nationals Sask Open US Summer Nationals | Newaza -63kg | Gold Gold Gold |
Jaymi Hinchey | Judo | Canadian Open Nationals US Winter Nationals US Summer Nationals | U21 | Bronze Gold Gold Gold |
Kaylee Fortier | Judo | Canadian Open Nationals | Newaza +63kg | Silver |
Seamus MacDonald | Snowboarding | BC Provincial Series | Slopestyle | Gold |
Stian Langbakk | Snowboarding | Junior National Championships | Rail Event Slopestyle Big Air | Gold Silver Bronze |
John Chisholm | Soccer | 2025 BCSPL Provincial Cup Championship |
| Gold |
Emma Boyd | Volleyball | NORCECA Women’s Final Tournament |
| Represented Canada
|
Minister’s Award of Sport Recognition
Name | Sport | Competition(s) | Event(s) | Placing/Achievement |
Ellyann Dinn | Alpine Skiing | Teck Provincial Ski Cross Championships |
| Silver |
Annie McNeill | Alpine Skiing | Teck Provincial Ski Cross Championships |
| Bronze |
Josephine de Jager | Alpine Skiing | U16 Western Championships | Dual Slalom | Bronze |
Harlynn Germaine | Arctic Sports | NWT Traditional Games | Triple Jump | Gold |
NuNu Sageaktook | Arctic Sports | Alaska Traditional Games | Wrist Carry Kneel Jump Two Foot High Kick | Silver
Silver Bronze |
Olive Passmore | Beach Volleyball | Alberta Beach Provincials |
| Bronze |
Lilou Lefebvre | Beach Volleyball | Alberta Beach Provincials |
| Bronze |
Maceo Grottoli | Beach Volleyball | BC Beach Provincials |
| Gold |
Armand Guilbeault | Beach Volleyball | BC Beach Provincials |
| Gold |
Mavik MacKinnon | Freestyle Skiing | Freestyle Canada Junior National Championship BC Timber Tour Provincial Series 1 & 2 | Halfpipe
Big Air Moguls, Slopestyle, and Big Air | Bronze
Gold Three Silver |
Leonie Crete-Bergeron | Gymnastics | 2025 Xcel GymBC Championships | Vault Beam | Silver Bronze |
Alayna Mortimer | Gymnastics | 2025 GymBC Artistic Gymnastics Championship | Floor Floor at event finals | Gold Bronze |
Gracie Ryckman | Rhythmic Gymnastics | Special Olympics BC Summer Games | Rope Level 1 | Gold |
Henry Parker | Snowboarding | BC Provincial Series | U11 | Gold Silver |
Leo Spiers-Leung | Snowboarding | BC Provincial Series | U15 | Bronze |
Leon TM Borlase | Snowboarding | BC Provincial Series | 11+ | Gold |
Oliver Cann | Snowboarding | BC Provincial Series | 11+ | Bronze |
Sara-Lee Edmonds | Swimming | Special Olympics BC Summer Games | 25m free | Gold |
Subzero 16U Boys | Volleyball | BC Provincials 16U Boys | Division 2 | Gold |
Subzero 18U Boys | Volleyball | BC Provincials 18U Boys | Division 2 | Gold |
Subzero 14U Boys | Volleyball | Volleyball Alberta Premiers 14U | Division 2 | Silver |
Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle
Award | Winner |
Athletic Career Excellence Award | Kassua Dreyer |
Indigenous Female Athlete of the Year | Taliyah Ewing |
Indigenous Coach of the Year | Katrina Couch |
Archery Coach of the Year | John Laughlin |
Arctic Sports Volunteer of the Year | Mark Koepke |
Dene Games Volunteer of the Year | Darlene Jim |
King Charles III Coronation Medal recipients
Gord Reed |
Ross King |
Charly Buyck |
Les Johns |
Sport Yukon Major Awards
Award | Winner | Sport |
Administrator of the Year | Kimberly Jones | Gymnastics |
Coach of the Year | Samantha Samuelson | Soccer |
National/Territorial Female Athlete of the Year | Lia Hinchey | Judo |
National/Territorial Male Athlete of the Year | Stian Langbakk | Snowboarding |
International Female Athlete of the Year | Sonjaa Schmidt | Cross Country Skiing |
International Male Athlete of the Year | Gavin McKenna | Hockey |
Team of the Year | Team Yukon U18 Girls Rugby | Rugby |
Special Olympics Yukon
Award | Winner(s) |
Athlete(s) of the Year | Padraig Darby McIntyre & Brandle Bruneau |
Most Improved Athlete(s) of the Year | Rachel Dawson & Murdoch Morgan Lester |
Rising Star Athlete of the Year | Stephen Worthington |
Rising Star Sport Volunteer of the Year | Dylan Sage |
Heather Miller Sport Volunteer of the Year | Graham Leslie |
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary, Cabinet Communications
867-335-2419
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John Tonin
Communications, Community Services
867-334-5816
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