7 athletes compete in NAIG

Seven Mission athletes are on Vancouver Island this week to compete in this year’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

The Games began Sunday, Aug. 3 and runs until Aug. 10. Mission athletes are headed to Cowichan Saturday afternoon.

As of Tuesday, only three athletes saw action. Seventeen-year-old Rosa Dan and the rest of the B.C. soccer team defeated the Manitoba team 4-1 in their first game on Aug. 4, and defeated the Northwest Territories 3-1 on Aug. 5.

Jaylene Matthews, 14, and her basketball team opened against Ontario, but lost in a close 37-36 game.

Fifteen-year-old Chloe Matthews and her team dropped the first two volleyball matches against Manitoba (25-23, 10-25, 16-14) and Wisconsin (25-10, 25-10).

Other Mission athletes participating in the Games are badminton player Gabriella Emery, 17, wrestler DJ Hernandez, 18, who will be in the 58 kg category, and Jaylene Matthews, 14, who will be competing in volleyball.

Swimmers Jennifer Cromar, 17, and Connor Dalrymple, 15, will be racing in a number of events. Cromar will be swimming in the 50 m, 100 m, and 200 m breast, three relay events, IM 200, and the 50 m and 100 m freestyle.

Connor will be swimming in six events: the 100 m back, 100 m breast, 50 m fly, IM 200, and the 50 m and 100 m freestyle.