Youth represent Nunavut
Two Iqaluit cadets represent territory at National Cadet Biathlon Championship
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, March 21, 2016
IQALUIT
Daniel Calamayan of Air Cadet Squadron 795 Iqaluit proudly bore the Nunavut flag during the opening ceremony of the National Cadet Biathlon Championship in Valcartier, Que., earlier this month.
photos courtesy of Captain Kerry Walker
Daniel Calamayan and Aleksander Hejnowicz represented proudly Nunavut at National Cadet Biathlon Championship from March 2 to 7 in Valcartier, Quebec. - photo courtesy of Captain Kerry Walker |
"I felt it was a real honour to compete with other people in the country," said 16-year-old Calamayan, who has lived in Iqaluit for 10 years.
He was chosen to represent the territory during the flag delegation for achieving first place at the provincial level in the senior category.
The 28th annual competition, held March 2 to 7, saw 130 biathletes from across the country compete. Races for the 2016 National Championship included the mass start, relay race and the patrol race.
Calamayan teamed up with Aleksander Heznowicz as representatives of Nunavut. The pair were part of 10 cadets who represented the Northern territories.
"Overall, the experience was fantastic," said Calamayan. "Not only was the competition fun but also after the competition. Interacting with other competitors from around the country was exciting and fun."
With those other athletes, he got to go tubing, visited factories and got a general feel for life in Quebec beyond its major cities.
"This was a really good chance to expose myself to the culture and to the people," he said.
Calamayan encourages other youth to join the cadet program, especially because Nunavut could use some help on the national level.
"Northern region, we were probably at the bottom of the barrel," he laughed when trying to remember the final standings. "We didn't fare that well but I as an individual competitor did pretty decently in the competition overall. The competitors there are really hard. They're very athletic. We can tell that they train every day and very hard."
Calamayan enjoyed the competition not just for the athletic aspect but also the ability to establish new connections with people from around the country.
"I learned a lot during competition and I know that it will help me in my biathlon interests in the future," he said.
Calamayan called the cadet program "wonderful" and encourages other youth to participate in it.
