Robichaud And Thorne Lead Team New Brunswick At Closing Ceremony

Team New Brunswick was comprised of 346 athletes, 80 coaches, managers and technical staff

Team New Brunswick returns home with 19 medals following two weeks of competition at the 2022 Canada Summer Games that took place in Niagara.

Double gold medalist para athlete Christel Robichaud, of Grande-Digue, and gold medalist hurdler Craig Thorne, of Quispamsis, served as Sunday’s flag bearers, leading Team New Brunswick into Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, site of the closing ceremony.  Both Robichaud and Thorne won their track-and-field medals during the second week of competition.

“We are very pleased with our team’s performance,” said Nicole Smith, chef de mission. “Our team is heading home with medals, personal bests and lots of memories from the Canada Summer Games.”

Team New Brunswick returns with 19 medals: four gold (Christel Robichaud, two, in shot put and discus para female events; Craig Thorne, 110-metre hurdles male; and Jesse Canney, 200-metre individual medley para male), six silver (Jesse Canney, two, for 100-metre backstroke para male swim and 200-metre/400-metre para male swim; Samuel Bourque, two, for male discus and male shot put; Isaac Cull, 3000-metre steeplechase male; and Ryan Evans, decathlon male, and nine bronze (Jesse Canney, three, for the 100-metre freestyle para male swim, 100-metre butterfly para male swim and 100-metre breaststroke para male swim; Vivian Kutnowski, 69-kg wrestling female; Kara Steeves, 48-kg wrestling female; Kai LeBlanc, 85-kg wrestling male; Ella Tucker, 50-metre breaststroke para female; Jarod Manuel, hammer male; and Lexie Shannon, triple jump female).

Sunday’s final day of competition resulted in the men’s volleyball placing seventh overall after defeating Newfoundland and Labrador 3-0. The women’s volleyball team placed eighth following a 3-1 loss to Nova Scotia.

Men’s box lacrosse placed sixth in the standings as Nova Scotia defeated Team New Brunswick 10-2.

Women’s soccer finished the Canada Summer Games in sixth spot with British Columbia defeating Team New Brunswick 3-1.

In rowing, the men’s four finished sixth in the A final, while the women’s double, women’s four, women’s eight and the men’s lightweight double placed eighth, seventh, eighth and seventh  in their respective B finals.

Team New Brunswick was comprised of 346 athletes, 80 coaches, managers and technical staff, 20 mission team members and competed in athletics, baseball, beach volleyball, box lacrosse, canoe kayak, cycling, golf, mountain bike, rowing, rugby sevens, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, and wrestling. 

The 2022 Canada Summer Games were initially scheduled to take place in August 2021 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Games, which usually alternate every two years between summer and winter games, are one of the largest multi-sport events held in the country. The 2023 Canada Winter Games are six months away and will be held on Prince Edward Island from February 18 to March 5, 2023.

The next Canada Summer Games will be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2025.