Four gold ulus
Inuvik student brings home the hardware
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 24, 2016
INUVIK
Medals and top titles are nothing new for Underwood Day, but even he was pleased with the four gold ulus he won at the Arctic Winter Games in Greenland earlier this month.
Inuvik's Underwood Day leaps to gold in the two-foot high-kick during the 2016 Arctic Winter Games. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo
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"It was really good. I loved the experience," he said last week, settling back into a regular routine. "It was one of the best competitions I've been in, one of the funnest. It was great to compete against athletes my own age and at my own skill level."
Day won the one foot high kick, two foot high kick and kneel jump events, and placed first all around in the junior category. He competed in a few other events, but didn't place in them, choosing instead to focus on his favourites. Going forward, he said he wants to work on his Alaskan high kick for future competitions.
"I still have two years left as a junior," Day said. "Then it's the open male category."
Day broke his own record while at the games, kicking 8'7" in the one foot high kick. He said in terms of the competition side of things, that was the highlight for him. When it came to the more social aspects of the event, Day said that meeting new people and catching up with familiar faces was the best part.
While he is certainly looking forward to the next Arctic Winter Games in Hay River and Fort Smith in 2018, the next challenge will be the World Eskimo and Indian Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska this summer.
"We train every Tuesday and Thursday," Day said. "Sometimes I do some kicking after school."
While there are a few other people who show up to practices, Day said the Northern Games are typically an individual-oriented event.
"It's kind of a team thing though," he said. "You have to encourage each other."
As for his role in inspiring younger students to take up the sport, Day said he doesn't think about it too much. When he does lead activities, he sees it more as a win-win situation, in which he gets to practise, but also help others develop their skills.
"I'd like to see it grow," he said, adding he sees the sport as an important part of his life. "I'll probably do it my whole life, until I can't anymore."
