The Yukon government has announced the recipients of the 2021 Government of Yukon sport awards. These awards honour the accomplishments of athletes in our territory who have made exceptional achievements at the national and international level.
For 2021, the Government of Yukon is awarding the Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence to nine individuals across seven sports.
Due to COVID-19, recipients will be individually presented with their awards and are being recognized with a video message from the Minister of Community Services.
I’m extremely proud of this year’s sport award recipients and our territory’s dedication to sport and recreation. This past year, and with the ongoing pandemic, athletes around the world faced many challenges. I’m both appreciative of and impressed by how our athletes, coaches, supporting staff and sport and recreation organizations continue to meet these challenges with ingenuity and determination. Congratulations!
Premier Sandy Silver
Congratulations to these outstanding Yukon athletes who have been awarded this year’s Premier Award of Sport Excellence. In 2021, you showed Canada and the world how talented, accomplished and resilient Yukoners are. Thank you for inspiring us all with your hard work and determination.
Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn
The Government of Yukon presents its annual sport awards to outstanding Yukon athletes. There are two award categories: the Premier's Award of Sport Excellence and the Minister's Award of Sport Recognition. The awards recognize their achievements in the previous year and honour athletes who achieve:
- a level of excellence in their sport; or
- a special level of accomplishment in their sport.
In 2021, the ongoing pandemic led to the cancellation or postponement of many major sport events. The result is there are fewer Yukon government sport awards for 2021 simply because there were fewer competitions. It also means there are no Minister’s Awards of Recognition for 2021. This is because almost all regional events were cancelled and the Minister’s awards are linked to regional events.
2021 Premier’s Award of Sport Excellence recipients
Jessica Frotten
Para athletics
Member of Team Canada
2020 Paralympic Games, Japan
Dahria Beatty
Cross-country skiing
Member of Team Canada
World Ski Championships, Germany
Dylan Cozens
Hockey
Member of Team Canada, Silver medal
World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Edmonton
Laura Eby
Curling
Women’s MVP
Canadian Curling Club Championships, Ottawa
Etienne Geoffroy-Gagnon
Freestyle skiing
World Cup, Dew Tournament for Freestyle Skiing, USA
Terry Miller
Curling
Men’s MVP
Curling Canada Mixed Nationals, Canmore, Alberta
Nadia Moser
Biathlon
Member of Team Canada
International Biathlon Union’s World Championships, Slovenia
Graham Nishikawa
Cross-country skiing
Member of Team Canada, Gold medal
Guide for visually impaired athlete Brian McKeever
Para Nordic Skiing World Cup, Canmore, Alberta
Mara Roldan
Mountain biking
Member of Team Canada
World Championships, Italy & National Championships, Quebec
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Odile Nelson
Communications, Community Services
867-332-0886
odile.nelson@yukon.ca