Red Deer athletes won not one, but two medals on home turf Monday night at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
They came in the high-flying trampoline competition at the Collicutt Centre.
Kalena Soehn won the gold medal in the Individual Female event with a score of 51.170.
Soehn explained the feelings she had during her routine.
“The amount of cheers I was getting, I was a little nervous but I just took a deep breath and once I started I felt good. As soon as I landed my routine I knew that I had done the best I could and I’d be happy with whatever result I got and I’m happy it was first.
“I’m still shaking a little bit. The place was buzzing, and it was amazing. I felt very good up there.”
Soehn continued her success she’s had in recent years. She won gold in the 2016 and 2017 National Championships and placed fourth last year at the World Championships in the Double Mini Trampoline event.
Fellow Red Deerian Zachary Blakely won the silver medal in the Individual Men’s competition with a score of 52.775 in the finals.
“I was really warmed up and I was ready to go, so when it came to competing, the first skill I did, I was under on rotation,” says Blakely explaining his routine. “When you’re under on rotation you have a lot of trouble getting to the next skill so the transition’s really hard. In my mind I’m like ‘oh dear this might not end too well.’ But I did the one thing that my coach kept saying for like five minutes straight – ‘believe in yourself. So I believed in myself. I went up, I finished the rest of my routine, I landed and it was the best I could’ve done.”
It was a special evening for both Soehn and Blakely winning medals in their home town.
“It was the coolest experience ever,” says Blakely. “Normally, I’m pretty anxious when friends come over and they watch me do things because you want to perform well for them, you don’t ever want to do bad in front of them.
“There were so many people here. There was my grade school teacher, my uncles and aunts that I haven’t seen I a while, my coaches, other coaches, friends, family. There were so many people where it didn’t even feel like I had to show off or it was bad doing bad. I didn’t even care about that. I cared about just having fun and putting on the best show I could for the people I care about.”
“It’s pretty important. I’ve got so many people that I personally know, like my two best friends are watching me and that’s just so amazing,” Soehn noted.
There will be more trampoline competition, with the team mix event taking place Tuesday and the men and women taking place on Thursday.
The medals won by Soehn and Blakely were among seven earned by Team Alberta athletes on Monday.
Mackenna Lebsack of Calgary won silver and Brett Richardson of Canmore took bronze in Super G alpine skiing at Nakiska.
Reed Godfrey won silver in 10 km cross-country skiing at River Bend.
“I’m really happy we were able to race today despite the cold. I went for a run this morning, and it was pretty cold. But it warmed up by race time. The track was really fast today considering how cold it was,” Godfrey said after the race.
“I’m really impressed with the course and the snow conditions. I am happy with the results. A second place is a great place at the Games. But I am not happy with the performance. I didn’t pace it very well today.”
Issy Hendry of Canmore won bronze in the 7.5 km distance.
Snowboarder Rori Wulff took home bronze medal in snowboardcross, Alberta’s first ever medal in the event at the Canada Winter Games.
Alberta remains in second place on the overall medal standings with 51 (17 gold, 20 silver, 14 bronze) one ahead of Ontario.
Quebec continues to run away with the lead with 92 medals.
