Three P.E.I. athletes represent Canada at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games
Three Prince Edward Islanders are among the 90 Canadian athletes at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
This is the 12th edition of the Games, which started on March 8 and last until March 15.
"This is the highest level of competition for Special Olympics," said Charity Sheehan, Canada's head of delegation.
"They get to compete against the best in the world and they're ready to do that."
Dad discovers joy of coaching Special Olympians
'Respectful' Team P.E.I. wins praise, medals at Special Olympics competition
Ellen MacNearney and Tommy Ling are both competing in nordic skiing, while Callum McEwan is in figure skating.
Athletes from 102 countries from around the world gathered at the opening ceremony — a part MacNearney really enjoyed in the Special Olympics.
"The opening ceremony was awesome," she said, adding the best parts for her were when the snow was coming down in the stadium and when the athletes came in.
MacNearney, who lives in Brudenell, has won dozens of medals in both swimming and skiing. She last competed at the Special Olympics World Games in 2013 in PyeongChang, South Korea, where she won a gold and a bronze medal.
Twelve years later, she is attending these games with a different mindset.
"It makes a big difference because I was just Grade 12, just graduating from high school." she said. "And now I'm 30 years old."
MacNearney is competing in the 7.5-km finals on Thursday, followed by the 5-km finals on Friday.
For her, the best part of the experience isn't just the competition but also having her family there to cheer her on.
More than medals
While many athletes are seeking to add on to Canada's medal count, that isn't the only goal.
"Some want to have personal bests, experience all [that] these world games have to offer." Sheehan said.
"Others have that goal of having that gold, silver or bronze medal for sure, so everybody is going to leave it all on the snow and ice."
Tommy Ling has been a Special Olympics athlete for 14 years. Similarly to MacNearney, he's participated in both winter and summer events, including bocce.
Meanwhile, this marks Callum McEwan's first-ever Special Olympics World Games.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ottawa Citizen
28 minutes ago
- Ottawa Citizen
'Nothing more than the usual': Hockey Canada verdict echoes cases in Sault Ste. Marie
Article content Wednesday's verdict in a London courtroom, which found five former Canadian world junior players not guilty in a 2018 sexual assault case, marked the end of a high-profile trial that reignited national conversations — including in Sault Ste. Marie — about sexual violence and accountability in hockey. Article content The outcome has resounded across the country, particularly among those working directly with survivors. Article content Article content Article content 'We were really, really disappointed to hear the verdict,' said Sarah Paciocco, a sexual assault and abuse crisis counsellor at Women in Crisis Algoma. Article content Article content In the case, the complainant, known as E.M., spent years under public scrutiny before taking the stand. Over the course of her testimony, she faced long hours of cross-examination and was asked to relive painful memories. Article content 'I think it really drives home the point for people to understand why women often don't come forward,' Paciocco said. 'The trauma they go through having to sit on trial, having to divulge so many details, being re-traumatized, doing all that work, all that time.' Article content This moment didn't begin in London, and it likely won't end there. The Hockey Canada verdict — in which five players, Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote, were found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a London hotel room — is one in a long line of similar cases involving junior hockey players. In communities across the country, including Sault Ste. Marie, allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced consistently. Article content Article content In 2012, three Soo Greyhounds players — Nick Cousins, Andrew Fritsch, and Mark Petaccio — were charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a woman. The charges were dropped eight months later when the Crown found there was 'no reasonable prospect of conviction.' Article content Despite the serious nature of the allegations, all three players walked away without a trial. Each entered into a 12-month peace bond that required no admission of guilt but included conditions like staying 500 metres away from the complainant. Article content The complainant, present in the courtroom, left quickly after the judge's decision. No one from the Crown's office commented on the case. Lawyers for the players emphasized the stress their clients endured and described the prosecution's decision as vindication. Article content In 1996, CBC's Fifth Estate revisited the case of former Greyhound Jarrett Reid, who was charged with 21 offences against two women during his time with the Hounds in the early '90s. He pleaded guilty to eight charges and served part of a nine-month jail term.
Winnipeg Free Press
28 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fernandez advances to Citi Open semifinals with win over former doubles partner
WASHINGTON – Canada's Leylah Fernandez advanced to her first semifinal of the season with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over American qualifier and former doubles partner Taylor Townsend on Friday at the Citi Open hardcourt tennis tournament. Fernandez played an aggressive return game against Townsend and had 23 break-point chances, converting five. Still, Fernandez only finished the game one break ahead after defending just three of the seven break-point chances she faced. Fernandez, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a win Thursday over top-seed Jessica Pegula, appeared to be battling cramps in the second set, but held on to win the second set tiebreak. The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., will next face the winner of a match later Friday between third-seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan or fifth-seed Magdalena Frech on Poland. The Canadian is rounding into form at the right time, with the main draw of the women's National Bank Open kicking off Sunday in Montreal. Fernandez joins Britain's Emma Raducanu in the semifinals in Washington. It's the first time they have been in the final four of a tournament since they met in the final of the 2021 U.S. Open, which Raducanu won in straight sets. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Fernandez and Townsend had success as a doubles tandem during the 2023 season. While they did not win a title, they made it to the final of the French Open and the WTA 1000 Miami Open, as well as the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Run with Responders returns this weekend
Runners cross the finish line at the Run with Responders event in Windsor, Ont. on July 28, 2024. (Source: LaSalle Police/X) The Run with Responders event is coming back to Windsor this weekend. Police, fire, and EMS will join together, running five kilometres alongside community members who signed up. Last year's run raised thousands of dollars and the goal is to top that this year. Sign up from first responders has increased this year. All proceeds of the run go to mental health programs, Special Olympics, and the Windsor Firefighters' Benefit Fund. The run takes place Sunday.
