Saskatchewan athletes from the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics were recognized in a celebration Friday afternoon.

The event took place at the Legislature Building and paid tribute to the 38 athletes, coaches and support staff from the province who went to Paris.

Five athletes from Saskatchewan won medals. That includes Paralympic swimmer Shelby Newkirk, who won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke.

“It feels amazing,” Newkirk said. “To be able to come home with a medal is huge.”

She said she is grateful to finish third in a race where the first place swimmer, Jiang Yuyan, broke the world record time.

Regina swimmer Kenzie Priddell was also in attendance. She is a member of the Canadian artistic swimming team.

This was her second time at the Olympics. She went to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Priddell said performing as an Olympic athlete is such a surreal experience.

“I see people from the stands to the ceiling in all directions, and I see the Olympic rings all over the pool, I just keep thinking to myself, this is it. Here I am competing at the Olympic Games,” Priddell said. “I’m just so proud of myself.”

Representing Saskatchewan on the world stage

Newkirk attributes her achievement to the years of vigorous training.

“I’ve swam thousands and thousands of laps every single year, so I knew that I could do it.” Newkirk said.

The Saskatoon native started swimming in Manitoba before continuing her journey at the University of Saskatchewan, as a member of the Saskatoon Lasers Swimming Club.

Meanwhile, Priddell began her swimming training with the Regina Synchro – Artistic Swimming Club when she was 10 years old.

“I always had this support from my coaches. Tina Turnoff has been my coach from when I was younger and she really helped me, took those extra hours with me,” Priddell said.

Priddell said she hopes to inspire the next generation of Saskatchewan swimmers to pursue their Olympic dreams.

“I was afraid to say I wanted to go to the Olympics when I was young, because I thought people were going to laugh. Just really keep going forward. It takes a lot of hard work, but you just gotta keep going.”