It was certainly an emotional day at the Canada Games. Congratulations to Thomas Pelley on winning silver in the 100m Freestyle Special Olympics swim this evening. We are incredibly proud of Thomas as he adds this to his impressive collection—his fourth Canada Games medal, following the three he earned in Niagara.

Earlier today, I learned about the wildfire just outside the city. My thoughts are with all Team NL participants, their families, supporters, and the volunteers who are directly affected. One of the true powers of sport is its ability to bring people together, and I was deeply moved by the outpouring of support from other provinces and territories.

Please take care of one another, look out for each other, and make use of the resources available to you. Be sure to check the schedule for any changes that may have been made. Best of luck tomorrow as you continue to navigate these challenges.

Team NL Men’s Soccer battled hard on Day 2 of the 2025 Canada Summer Games, facing a strong Team Quebec. Thomas Foran energized the squad with NL’s lone goal, but Quebec ultimately secured a 3-1 win. With their tournament record now at 0-1-1, Team NL turns their focus to a crucial shootout tomorrow against Team Manitoba. Game time is still to be announced, but the stakes are high as our athletes fight for a vital victory.  Go Team NL!!

Team NL Tennis delivered a day of spirited performances. In women’s singles, Sophie Furlong battled a strong opponent with focus and determination, gaining valuable experience. Daniel Cheng showed grit in men’s singles, fighting for every point despite the loss. In women’s doubles, Sophie Rideout and Astrid Anderson earned a straight-sets win over PEI with strong teamwork and consistent play. Declan Walsh staged an impressive comeback in men’s singles, rebounding from a first-set tiebreak loss to win 7–5 in the third. The men’s doubles trio of Adrian, Bradley, and Egan Woolfrey kept their match close, displaying unity, pressure, and determination throughout.

Team NL dropped two close games Tuesday. In a 5-4 walk-off loss to Team NB, Jane Coady and Lila Buckle had key RBI singles, while Kate Dalton pitched six solid innings. Earlier, Team NL fell to Team Ontario despite early runs from Sarah Power and Halle Joy. Power, Joy, Alexis Chaytor, and Chloe Pitts each had hits, and pitcher Hannah Healey threw six innings without a walk. The team showed strong hitting and resilience throughout. Next up: a qualification game vs Team PEI Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Caribou Complex.

The Women's Rugby Sevens Team delivered a spirited performance today against New Brunswick, narrowly losing 10-7 after being stopped just short of the goal line in the closing seconds. 

In their afternoon matchup, NL fell to Alberta and will now advance to the consolidation round. The team is set to face Yukon at 10 a.m., with a second match scheduled for 4:08 p.m. against an opponent yet to be determined. The athletes remain determined as the tournament continues.

Let’s Go Girls!

The Men’s Rugby Sevens team had a strong performance, winning their division and advancing to the quarterfinals. They faced Alberta in a tough match—forget the score, but they came up short. The team showed great effort and handled the outcome with grace and sportsmanship. A solid display of teamwork and character all around.

Despite a resilient and plucky performance from PEI, our Men's Basketball heroes of the hardwood emerged with an 85-77 win with a strong 4th quarter performance which saw NL finally put PEI away. John Purchase had a massive block late in the 4th that led to a tough And 1  on the other end that sent the hometown fans into a frenzy. Grit, hard work, resilience and determination led to NL securing their 2-0 record and a big showdown with Manitoba on Wednesday. The passion and will to win is evident with this group and their confidence and swag are well deserved! Time to rest and recover! 

Manitoba topped Newfoundland and Labrador 91-82 in overtime Tuesday morning. Despite Manitoba building double-digit leads in both halves, the home team rallied to lead at halftime and force extra time. Caryssa Tucker led NL with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting and added 11 rebounds. Claire Daley scored 14, and Noah Ryan added 12.

In the evening, NL bounced back in dominant fashion, cruising past Nunavut 96-21. The team’s strong shooting and relentless defense sealed the convincing win, capping a day of determination and energy on the court.

Team NL showed incredible fight in a 10-8 loss to Team PEI, nearly erasing a 7-run deficit with a five-run rally in the seventh. Kieran Cutler, Alex McGrath, and Graham Noseworthy delivered clutch RBIs, while Sam Rideout added another with a bases-loaded walk. Rideout and Noseworthy each drove in two runs, and Jack McCarthy led with two hits. The team’s patience at the plate earned seven walks, and their defense turned two double plays. The team will play 1:20 pm Wednesday afternoon vs Ontario in a consolation game at St. Pats.

It was a jam-packed day of racing for Team NL in the pool!
After a strong morning in the preliminaries, our swimmers advanced to three A Finals and 11 B Finals.

A Finals Results:

• Thomas Pelley – 4th place, 100m Free (SOC)

• James Traverse – 5th place, 50m Backstroke

• Nathan Luscomb – 100m Backstroke
  
  

In the B Finals, 11 of our athletes put in fantastic performances, many setting personal bests. The excitement continued in the relays, with the girls’ 4x100m Free finishing 6th and the boys placing 7th.

An incredible day of racing, energy, and achievement for Team NL!

A two game day for the Team NL box Lacrosse team! The first game was against New Brunswick and the second this afternoon against Saskatchewan. After moving to the DF Barnes arena, the girls still came out with two very strong performances. During the first game the girls ran a defensive clinic- they held them scoreless for an entire period!

Both goalies (Brianna Tobin and Paige O’Neill) fought hard against the wave of attacks from the other teams today and held their own in the net. They shut down plays, stayed strong and made every second count.

Adrienne Shannahan scored another goal for Team NL against Saskatchewan during this afternoons game in the first period.

Today was practice day for the Road Race at the Canada Games! Tomorrow is Race Day! Practice went extremely well. It was pretty neat riding the course with the roads being closed and taking hills at full pace. Bring on tomorrow!