Hay River is usually associated with the NWT Track and Field Championships every year, the single-largest annual sporting event in the territory.
But there's another large sporting event which is held in the town each year and the latest edition of that happened from Dec. 1 to 3.
The Scott McAdam Badminton Championships emanated once again from Diamond Jenness Gymnasium with a full house on hand for the fun.
In an email to NWT News/North, JJ Hirst, the event's organizer, said a total of 125 athletes from five communities hit the courts in the juvenile, junior, senior and open divisions and played more than 400 matches over three days.
“As always it was an awesome tournament,” he said. “The kids were all great, demonstrated good sportsmanship and most importantly, looked to be having fun. I can say with full confidence that all of these players represented each of their schools and communities in a very positive way.”
Each division had singles and doubles for each gender as well as mixed doubles and that meant the possibility of someone sweeping gold was there.
That happened four times as Garrett Peters of Hay River, Riella Bordey of Hay River, Xander McMahon of Fort Smith and Landon Jewell of Fort Smith were the lucky ones to win triple gold in their respective divisions.
Putting together the tournament is always a large task and Hirst said he had plenty of help from staff at students at Diamond Jenness Secondary School as well as staff who travelled in with the out-of-town teams. But he saved special credit for someone who has been at the forefront of the event for a long time.
“Kelly Webster deserves a lot of credit (because) she has done an amazing job starting this tournament and growing it to where it is today,” he said.
FACT FILE: NWT Badminton Championships results
Juvenile division
Girls Singles
- 1 st - Brenna Beck, Hay River
- 2 nd - Hailey Bassett, Hay River
- 3 rd - Neva Olvera, Fort Smith
Boys singles
- 1 st - Landin Jewell, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Jude Simon, Fort Resolution
- 3 rd - Conrad Landry, Fort Providence
Girls doubles
- 1 st - Jenna Demarke and Brianna Goodwin, Hay River
- 2 nd - Hailey Bassett and Madison Beck, Hay River
- 3 rd - Neva Olvera and Janeya Edgi, Fort Smith
Boys doubles
- 1 st - Landin Jewell and Samuel Kodakin, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Conrad Landry and Isaac Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence
- 3 rd – Judson Pokiak and Lorin Durocher, Hay River
Mixed doubles
- 1 st - Janeya Edgi and Landin Jewell , Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Hailey Bassett and Gaius Crook, Hay River
- 3 rd - Winter McFeeters (Fort Smith) and Conrad Landry (Fort Providence
Junior division
Girls singles
- 1 st - Elaine Cronk, Yellowknife
- 2 nd - Hannah Porter, Fort Smith
- 3 rd - Layne Leonard, Hay River
Boys singles
- 1 st - Xander McMahon, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Greg Villeneuve, Fort Resolution
- 3 rd - Jack Irwin, Hay River
Girls doubles
- 1 st - Elaine Cronk and Emily Tuckey (Fort Smith)
- 2 nd - Ceaira McKay and Layne Leonard, Hay River
- 3 rd - Hannah Porter and Devyn Dievert, Fort Smith
Boys doubles
- 1 st - Xander McMahon and Jason Jones, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Ethan Piwowar (Hay River) and Greg Villeneuve (Fort Resolution)
- 3 rd - Berlin Chan and Nolan Schofield, Hay River
Mixed doubles
- 1 st - Devyn Dievert and Xander McMahon, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Emily Tuckey and Jason Jones, Fort Smith
- 3 rd - Layne Leonard (Hay River) and Greg Villeneuve (Fort Resolution)
Senior division
Girls singles
- 1 st - Riella Bordey, Hay River
- 2 nd - Taylor Maurice, Hay River
- 3 rd - Lisa Boutilier, Hay River
Boys singles
- 1 st - Braiden Charlton, Yellowknife
- 2 nd - Joshua Kearly, Fort Smith
- 3 rd - Darien Comin, Fort Smith
Girls doubles
- 1 st - Riella Bordey and Taylor Maurice, Hay River
- 2 nd - Jackie Larocque and Allie Buhler, Hay River
Boys doubles
- 1 st - Darien Comin and Joshua Kearly, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Nick Kimble (Hay River) and Braiden Charlton (Yellowknife)
- 3 rd - Nick Suwala and Damian Hoffman, Yellowknife
Mixed doubles
- 1 st - Riella Bordey (Hay River) and Darien Comin (Fort Smith)
- 2 nd - Elaine Cronk and Braiden Charlton, Yellowknife
- 3 rd - Taylor Maurice and Damian Hoffman, Hay River
Open division
Ladies singles
- 1 st - Christina Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence
- 2 nd - Dominik Langford, Hay River
- 3 rd - Agnes Cockney, Fort Smith
Mens singles
- 1 st - Garrett Peters, Hay River
- 2 nd - Daniel Melanson, Hay River
- 3 rd - Axel Bouvier, Fort Providence
Ladies doubles
- 1 st - Agnes Cockney and Lili Kikoak, Fort Smith
- 2 nd - Crystal Mackie and Dominik Langford, Hay River
- 3 rd - Beth Hudson and Christina Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence
Mens doubles
- 1 st - JJ McKinney and Garrett Peters, Hay River
- 2 nd - Terry Webster and Pat Morris, Hay River
- 3 rd - Daniel Melanson (Hay River) and Dan Kearley Fort Smith
Mixed doubles
- 1 st - Agnes Cockney (Fort Smith) and Garrett Peters (Hay River)
- 2 nd - Dominik Langford and Terry Webster, Hay River
- 3 rd - JJ McKinney and Trudy Hiebert, Hay River