Cheer Story: Reliving the Best of the 2026 Winter Games

Team South East came home from the 2026 Saskatchewan Winter Games with plenty to celebrate — a 4th place overall finish and 30 medals: 12 Gold, 9 Silver, and 9 Bronze. From the mats to the platforms to the bowling lanes, athletes represented the southeast with pride and plenty of heart.

Lois Feaver and Brock Cullen of DiscoverEstevan.com, and Marna McManus of DiscoverWeyburn.com, recently caught up with several of the athletes, coaches, and managers to hear firsthand about their experiences and highlights from the Saskatchewan Winter Games.

Special Olympics Bowling

Team South East’s Special Olympics bowlers brought energy, sportsmanship, and strong performances to the lanes.

Bronze Medalist, Robin Stelter, Weyburn:

"It was a tough one against Regina."

She said the win made her happy, and, as it was her second Winter Games, she noted, "My favourite thing is meeting all my old friends, my teammates [on Team South East]."

Robin plans to wear her medal to the next Red Wings Game, "and show the boys".

Justin DeRoos, Weyburn:

"This was definitely the first time going. My favourite part was the drive up there, and the other thing was the food. The first day I got to bowl, I bowled four strikes in a row. I did good." 

Manager Jo-Anne Paxman, Weyburn

"The team bowled very, very well, and we were up to some tough competition, and they did come in fourth. So, they did bowl very well and just missed getting a medal as a team, but we had a lot of fun," shared Manager Jo-Ann Paxman.

Vernon Ernst, Daemeon Budney, and Leah Whitrow all highlighted the friendships and fun as major highlights.

The following quotes were obtained by DiscoverWeyburn.com during recent interviews with several athletes, coaches, and managers.

Weightlifting

Three Weyburn athletes stepped onto the platform, and all three stepped off with medals.

Gold Medalist, Avryelle Molnar, Weyburn:

“It was just making sure I stayed focused the whole time and secured the gold.”

Silver Medalist, Hudson Fowler, Weyburn:

 "It's a good way to make friends and a good way to learn a lot about people and somewhat about yourself. On the bus ride back, there was a bunch of singing, and it was just amazing." 

Bronze Medalist, Rhys Fowler, Weyburn:

 "I had some higher competition. It's not age, it's weight class. So, there are some 18-year-olds I had to go up against. The age difference is definitely a big factor in that." 

Coach Ryan Fowler, Weyburn:

"The Winter Games experience was a great opportunity for the kids to showcase what they've been working on and we came home with three medals, one of each colour, so for a small team to have everybody come home with a medal is pretty impressive and showcases the dedication and hard work of the kids as they work to achieve success and meet some new friends, get to experience something that lots of people don't ever get to experience in athletics and being at the Winter Games. So, I'm very proud of how they did and excited to see where the next few years go."

The following quotes were obtained by DiscoverWeyburn.com during recent interviews with several athletes, coaches, and managers.

Wrestling

Gold Medalist, Anica Todd, McLean:

"Honestly, it was a rush," shared Todd. "I've only won one or two matches and coming out with a Gold is absolutely insane to me and the people that I've met during this are such amazing people and it was just an amazing experience altogether. My coaches were absolutely amazing and I'm so grateful for having that experience. And I'm undefeated."

"I guess I realized that the more confident I became in myself and the more confidence that my coaches had in me, really impacted me in the ways that I knew that I could do it, because they believe that I can do it, which was such an amazing feeling because first year, you usually lose quite a bit, but with Greg and Emily as my coaches It was the best experience ever."

Silver Medalist, Ephraim Henning, Weyburn:

For any young athletes who hope to advance in their sport, Ephraim said, "If you have the chance to go to Winter Games, I would say push yourself to. It's lots of fun, you meet a lot of people, you have free food, and it's just a great time."

Bronze Medalist, Kylie Bear, Regina:

"The experience of going to such a big event like this, in such a small period of time, it was only three days, it was like very compacted together and it was like a bunch of fun experiences and amazing people like all together in three days, it was just kind of like a sugar rush in a way, but it was like so much fun."

"One thing that I struggled with before [going] was my confidence level. Even though I've been wrestling for five years and I have a lot of medals, it never occurred to me that I was a good enough wrestler, and having Greg as my coach and my mental prep 'hype person' in my corner, he gave me the confidence to shoot my shot in wrestling."

Bear thanked her coaches as well as the Saskatchewan Games Council for giving her this opportunity, expressing her gratitude for the entire experience. Bear added, "It's all about confidence and time that you put in. You can do it. So don't give up."

Jep Ferguson, Weyburn:

Jep Ferguson competed for Team Lakeland, as a fill athlete in a higher weight class. 

"It was a lot different, having kids that are a foot taller than me, it's a lot harder to shoot and try to do moves when they could just reach out and put it on my shoulder, and I can't do anything. It was a lot different than other all the tournaments that I go to, because they're all the same weight as me. They're not at least foot taller and they're not 16 or 15 or 14."

Jeck Santos, Weyburn:

"I even got to learn more about my opponents, like I learned their names, and they were pretty chill, but it was so much fun. I'm pretty sad it had to end."

He said he's usually nervous at tournaments, but the Winter Games filled him with exhilaration.

"I knew I was going to have fun and learn so much more, and I didn't care about losing or winning as long as I got that experience of wrestling other great wrestlers and just having fun on that mat and showing them what I can do, what I've been working on."

Coach Greg Kiraly, Weyburn:

Greg who had the help of his daughter Emily on the coaching team as manager, his second Winter Games was 'absolutely amazing'.

"To watch a girl going 1 and 7 coming into the tournament go 7 and 0 at the tournament and only give up six points was just absolutely amazing, and the look of shock on her face after every win and even her Gold medal match, where she won and it hadn't even clicked that she had went 7-and-0 yet, or that she had just won the gold medal, match the look of shock on her face after and the amazing run over after the coach I She shook the other coaches hand and thank goodness. I was ready to catch because she just about jumped over top of me."

He said being able to coach alongside his daughter was a bonding experience.

"It was just beyond fantastic. I know she absolutely loved hanging out with the kids and helping out So the whole team dynamic was just amazing," said Kiraly. "I never complained at the games about their behavior. They were all extremely well behaved and fantastic young adults."

The following quotes were obtained by DiscoverWeyburn.com during recent interviews with several athletes, coaches, and managers.

Curling

Curling Team Stead — made up of Malina Stead, Trinity Massier, Emma Marsch, and Arizona Spencer — brought home a silver medal

Silver Medalist, Malina Stead, Estevan:

Malina described the challenges of traveling to the event, including some weather-related delays, but emphasized the excitement of arriving at the venue. “When you go on to the venue and to the school we stayed in, we knew it was going to be an amazing experience and something we’ll cherish as a team,” she said.

The athletes spoke about the bond they’ve built during their time together. “We got to learn a lot about each other not just on the ice, but off the ice too,” Malina added. “Our families have definitely created a second family for us with everything we’ve done this year.”

Silver Medalist,  Trinity Massier, Estevan:

Stepping onto the ice for the championship game was an emotional moment for Arizona. “We were really proud of ourselves and just focused on staying positive and making as many good shots as we could,” she said. Arizona also reflected on the silver medal win: “Some of our games were really close and tough, so we had to battle through each one. We’re really proud that we came home with silver.”

The following quotes were obtained by DiscoverEstevan.com during recent interviews with several athletes, coaches, and managers.

Artistic Swimming

Team South East had a strong showing in artistic swimming, capturing gold in the solo event, silver in figures, and bronze in the team competition, highlighting an impressive performance across multiple disciplines.

Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist, Sierra Mantei, Estevan:

“It feels amazing because getting to represent our district means a lot to me,” she said. “We’re a small community, and we’re constantly underestimated when we know that we’ve got the chance to get podium and beat other teams.”

“My biggest achievement would be getting gold in solos, which felt absolutely amazing,” she said. “I had gone to the 2023 Winter Games, and I had done solo that year as well, but I ended up in last place. It was devastating at the time. But now getting gold this year, it just feels like such a redemption to myself and to others who have been supporting me throughout my journey.”

The surprise didn’t stop there. Mantei followed it up with silver in figures, an event she had also placed last in a few years ago. “Getting second was just absolutely shocking, and I’m so happy about it,” she said.

Mantei said the experience of competing beside so many athletes from across Saskatchewan was a highlight in itself. “There were a lot of kids there,” she said. “We were staying in schools and whatnot, but we got to meet other clubs and other teams. It was a fun time to connect with other kids our age.”

Bronze Medalist, Mahaley Fonstad, Estevan:

“We were all very surprised and extremely happy with how we did,” said Mahaley Fonstad. “Third place was great, and the medals are pretty cool.”

Coach Amber Mantei, Estevan:

“Everyone gave their best at the Sask Winter Games. The dedication, teamwork, and energy they brought to the competition were incredible. It’s been a fantastic year so far, and we’re excited to see what they accomplish next.”

The following quotes were obtained by DiscoverEstevan.com during recent interviews with several athletes, coaches, and managers.

Over just a few short days, athletes built friendships, pushed past nerves, hit personal bests, and created lifelong memories. Whether it was gold medal moments, new confidence on the mat, or singing on the bus ride home, Team South East proved that success at the Saskatchewan Winter Games is about more than the podium.

As the excitement from this year’s Games settles, there’s even more to look forward to — Weyburn is up next. The 2028 Saskatchewan Summer Games will be hosted right here in our home district, giving our community the chance to welcome athletes from across the province and create even more unforgettable moments.

Read the full stories from each sport below to hear more athlete quotes, memorable moments, and in-depth coverage from the Saskatchewan Winter Games.

• https://discoverweyburn.com/articles/weyburn-special-olympics-bowlers-share-on-winter-games
• https://discoverweyburn.com/articles/weyburn-weightlifters-share-on-winning-medals-at-winter-games
• https://discoverweyburn.com/articles/team-south-east-wrestlers--share-on-earning-medals-at-sask-winter-games
• https://discoverestevan.com/articles/estevans-team-stead-wins-silver-at-saskatchewan-winter-games
• https://discoverestevan.com/articles/sierra-mantei-wins-gold-and-silver-at-saskatchewan-winter-games
• https://discoverestevan.com/articles/from-the-pool-to-the-podium-southeast-connections-team-reflects-on-winter-games