Saskatoon’s Shelby Newkirk was a Saskatchewan swimming sensation during the second half of the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.
Newkirk won six medals — four gold and two silver — over the final week, a sparkling showing that led to her being named Saskatchewan’s flag-bearer for Sunday’s closing ceremonies.
The 21-year-old Newkirk won three 50-metre events (freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke) in the para female category and also struck gold in the 150m medley. She added second-place finishes in the 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle.
Newkirk won half of Saskatchewan’s gold medals at the Games, and the only ones in Week 2. Saskatchewan finished the event with eight gold, 10 silver and 17 bronze medals, good for seventh in the medal standings.
Saskatchewan’s other silver medals during Week 2 were won by Regina-born swimmer Michael McGillivray (men’s 800m freestyle) and Swift Current wrestler Aleah Nickel (56-kilogram female division).
Saskatchewan won two bronze medals in swimming during Week 2, courtesy of Becky Dean (female 1,500m freestyle) and another Regina athlete, Emma Spence (female 200m breaststroke).
Five Saskatchewan wrestlers received bronze medals — Drake Buechler of Warman (male 48kg), Frankie Gawryluik of Weyburn (female 60kg), Rachel Evans of Regina (female 69kg), Lillian Pinay of Regina (female 79kg) and Austin Shopa of Swift Current (male 98kg).
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Game 2 of the Western Major Baseball League’s best-of-five championship series is set for Monday, 7:05 p.m., at Mitchell Field in Swift Current.
The Swift Current 57’s were to oppose the visiting Edmonton Prospects on Sunday night in Game 1.
After Monday’s game, the series will shift to Edmonton, with games set for Tuesday and, if necessary, Wednesday.
If a fifth game is required, it will be played Thursday, 7:05 p.m., in Swift Current.
The defending-champion 57’s earned a berth in the final by defeating the Weyburn Beavers 6-4 on Friday in the fifth and deciding game of the Eastern Division final.
Swift Current lost the first two games of the series, both at home, before winning the final three.
The 57’s snapped a 4-4 tie Friday by scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Bodie Cooper plated what turned out to be the winning run by drawing a bases-loaded walk, scoring Cole Thibideau. Nick Canas then drove in Riley Campbell with an RBI single.
Evan Weidner had two hits, including a triple, and three RBI for Weyburn.
Swift Current’s Layne Downing earned the victory in relief. Keil Krumwiede notched the save.
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Winning pitcher Vance Thompson hit two home runs to help the Piapot Wolfpack defeat the Little Black Bear Blues 17-2 in Western Cycle Rambler Park Fastball League action Friday.
Piapot won a best-of-three Division 2 quarter-final 2-1.
Avery Taypotat and Jesse Straightnose also homered for the Wolfpack.
Also on Friday at Rambler Park, Alfie Bear homered for the Chetty’s Pretty Boys in a 9-1 victory over the NB Petro Hawks.
Justice Keshane was the winning pitcher in Game 1 of a best-of-three Division 1 semi-final.
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The Regina Rogues won both their women’s sevens matches in Regina Rugby Union action Friday.
The Rogues defeated the Regina Condors (20-0) and Regina Rage (38-0) at Regina Rugby Park. In the other women’s sevens match, the Rage blanked the Condors 20-0.
In men’s 15s action, the Regina Rogues defeated the Regina Highlanders 49-3 and the Campion Grads edged the Regina Condors 22-19.
