Whitehorse Special Olympics athletes return home from Canada Winter Games with medals

Yukon athletes have returned home from the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games  — and some of them had a few extra carry-ons.

Darby McIntyre, 20, came home with four medals in cross-country skiing events — two golds and two silvers.

The games opening ceremony was on Feb. 25 and ran until Saturday at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont. There were 1,200 athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff competing in eight events, according to the event website.

McIntyre said he thought he could have won the 7.5 kilometre race, but couldn't seem to catch the B.C. racer ahead of him.

I'm very proud of representing Yukon.- Carrie Rudolph, Curling team athlete

"[He] zoomed through that course," McIntyre said. "But we're good pals and I can obviously learn things from him for sure."

McIntyre said he shaved about four minutes off his previous time in that event.

But the biggest challenge for him? Keeping warm, he said.

"When I was at the start line I would jump up and down on my skis to keep warm," he said. "I get such a powerful feeling from doing it ... so much pent up energy and anticipation."

'Very proud how well I did': athlete

Owen Monroe, 32,  also a cross-country skier, said pacing himself in the 10 kilometre race — which he came second in — was also key.

"Not too fast when you get tired out or wiping out or crashing or other racers passing by," Monroe said.

Monroe said he won the bronze medal in the five-kilometre ski race, silver in the 10-kilometre ski race and silver in the one-kilometre relay ski race.

"Very proud how well I did at those races," he said, adding he was also happy to meet new friends from other provinces.

Carrie Rudolph, 36, competed as the only woman on her curling team.

Though the team did not win, she said she enjoyed being at the games to represent her territory.

"I had a lot of fun with the guys," Rudolph said. "I'm very proud of representing Yukon."

All three athletes are from Whitehorse. There were 10 Yukon athletes in total who competed at the games.