By Sarah Tone, Communications Coordinator
Speed skating has been on every Canada Winter Games program since 1967. Short track joined the program in 1983 and has featured ever since. In short track, athletes compete against each other over a series of rounds, and the fastest skaters progress to the later rounds. Usually, four to six athletes compete in each race, with heats followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.
Team Manitoba’s short track teams are made up of five females and five males who race in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m points race, and 3000m relay.
Olivia Krawchuk (15, Selkirk) is one of the team’s younger members, and after her experience in PEI, she’s already looking forward to qualifying for the next winter Games in 2027.
“I love being here, PEI is a fantastic place to do Games. I just want to try my best and hit some new PBs in my next competitions. I’d like to try out for the next Canada Games.”
While she’s a little disappointed she hasn’t his any PBs this Games, she’s proud of all her races – pointing out that in one of her favourite distances, the 1000m, she got a really good pass. A smile quickly fills her face when she’s asked about her ultimate goals.
“Having fun. A thing to remember for everyone, is make sure you’re having fun and enjoying what you’re doing, That’s why I’m here, because I like it!”
She’s skated for seven years with the program out of the Interlake Speedskating Club. She transitioned to speed skating from ringette, and hasn’t stopped skating since her very first race.
“After my first competition, I didn’t win anything, but I enjoyed the experience and being able to meet new people and get new friends. I like the independent aspect of this sport, but that you also get to be a part of a team. And I love being able to skate with my teammates I’ve known for so long.”
Antonia Villa (18, Steinbach) has been skating for six years, ever since she moved to Manitoba from Colombia. She used to be an inline skater, and was looking for something that was similar to a sport she loved from home. After her first time on the ice, she was hooked.
This is her first Canada Games, and while she’s had to make a couple adjustments on the ice, she is beaming with joy as she reflects on her experience so far.
“My Canada Games experience so far has been wild, first day was like “whoa!” It’s a brand new atmosphere. Now, I’ve been here longer and I’m getting used to it. I’ve been trying to be more outgoing with the pin trading, I like that!”
When asked about her plans for the future in her sport, she takes a conscious pause and immediately brings us back to the present.
“Just being here was one of my goals, so we’ll see! It feels amazing to be here, I don’t want to leave! I’m trying to savour as much as I can and take a lot of pictures.”
“First day, I had a little bit of an unlucky streak with a couple tumbles, but I’m just rolling with the punches. I’m learning how to race in short track, anything can happen in short track!”
Antonia skates at the Eastman Speed Skating Club and credits her community for its support and her making it as far as she has, in such a short amount of time.
“There wasn’t a lot of us [skating in Steinbach], but my coach Randy has been a huge motivator, he’s always there, and he’s really into skating and teaching people. My Niverville community now, is really fun to be around.”
She’s a multi-sport athlete who loves cycling. She credits her strengths in speed skating – her speed, her strong muscles, and her cardio capacity to her cross training in cycling.
Looking at the days ahead and thinking about what she’s expecting both out of her performance and overall here in PEI, she humbles those around her – again – by staying focused on the moment.
“I’m just really glad I’m here. It’s been a blessing. It [skating] helps me mentally, physically, and emotionally. It’s really cool and I really love it.”
Jakob Dainard (17, Selkirk) raves about the Canada Games to all who’ll ask. He’s grateful to be here, and says there are a couple things that set this event apart from the rest.
“It’s the prestige, and the fun, welcoming community. There are so many things to do here. And you can really push yourself to the limit and see how well you can do.”
He’s enjoying his Canada Games experience so much, he’s already thinking about how to get on the summer Games team in 2025.
“I am a multisport athlete and I love doing rugby, track and field, and canoe kayak in the summer, so for the Games, maybe I could make it in track and field. I run the 400m.”
“I like to think of speed skating as track on ice – there’s a middle, short, and long distance, and they’re the same for both sports.”
Jakob’d been skating for eight years. He came up through the CanSkate program, and after he watched speed skating competitions at the Olympics, he knew he wanted to give it a try.
“I was like “Mom, Dad, sign me up for that! I want to do that!”
