Archery standout Hunter Chipley of Estevan was selected as Team Saskatchewan’s closing ceremony flag bearer for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta.
As flag bearer, Chipley led a team of 215 athletes and 96 coaches, managers and support staff into the closing ceremony, which were held at the Enmax Centrium on March 2. The event aired on TSN/RDS.
The 17-year-old Chipley had an outstanding run at the Games, earning a gold medal in the men's individual recurve event and a silver medal in the team recurve mixed event alongside teammate Jay Gegner of Regina.
“Getting picked to be closing ceremony flag bearer is an honour – I was watching the opening ceremony at home on TV and thinking it would be pretty sweet to do that,” said Chipley. “The Games were a lot of fun, it was so different than anything I've ever been to because of the multisport aspect, and so much larger an event. ”
Chipley trains out of the Estevan Archery Club under his coach and father, Ken Chipley. At the 2018 Canadian Target Championships, he took home gold and silver medals, and tied the Canadian outdoor target record.
Archery is truly a family affair for the Chipleys: Hunter has been training in the sport since the age of two, his older sister Jade is a two-time archery team alumna of the Canada Games, his father Ken has twice coached the archery team at a Canada Games, and in 2019, his mother Monai Wanner was team manager for archery.
Athletes who compete at the Canada Games represent the country’s next generation of national, international and Olympic champions.
“With the outstanding performance by Hunter in both individual and mix team recurve archery, he was an obvious choice to carry our provincial flag into the closing ceremony of the Canada Winter Games,” said Mark Bracken, Team Sask.’s chef de mission.
“Not only is Hunter a great athlete, he is a positive role model and an great ambassador for our province. Congratulations to Hunter for his gold and silver medal performances here in Red Deer.”
Next week’s edition of the Mercury will have more on Chipley’s experience at the Games.
