Our province has sent an incredible group of 34 athletes to the Games, each bringing their unique flair and passion.
From artistic swimming and track and field to diving and water polo, these athletes have poured their hearts into their training and are ready to shine on the world stage.
In this roundup, we’ll introduce you to these fantastic Albertans and share a bit about them, their interests, and what makes them tick.
Plus! Where you can follow along with your favourites on social media!
Get ready to cheer them on as they take their skills and determination all the way to Paris!
1. Jonnie Newman
Sport: Artistic Swimming
Age: 18
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Loves watching old movies from the 1990s and listening to old music.
Favourite motto: “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
2. Marco Arop
Sport: Athletics – Track and Field
Age: 22
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Enjoys reading, playing piano and basketball. Majoring in Computer Science.
Favourite motto: “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”
Where To Keep Up: Twitter, Instagram
3. Rory Linkletter
Sport: Athletics – Track and Field
Age: 27
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Enjoys golfing, watching sports, binge-watching TV shows… Works as an online coach for other runners; would like to become a coach at the NCAA level. Favourite motto: “Clear Eyes. Full Heart. Can’t Lose.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
4. Kacie Bosch
Sport: Basketball 3v3
Age: 27
Hometown: Lethbridge
Outside Interests: Graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2020… Working towards a post-grad Bachelor of Education at the University of Lethbridge
Favourite Motto: “It’s cool to be kind.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
5. Katherine Plouffe
Sport: Basketball 3v3
Age: 31
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Enjoys spending time with family, reading, and exploring local areas!
Favourite motto: “You cannot become what you need to be by remaining what you are.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
6. Michelle Plouffe
Sport: Basketball 3v3
Age: 31
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with family somewhere warm.
Favourite motto: “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
Yes…Those two are sisters. Can you tell?
7. Yvonne Ejim
Sport: Basketball – Women’s
Age: 22
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Plans to major in human physiology at Gonzaga University with hopes of becoming a doctor.
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
8. Alison Jackson
Sport: Cycling
Age: 35
Hometown: Vermillion
Outside Interests: Loves to take dance classes and throw living room dance parties… Enjoys challenging herself in the kitchen, cross-country skiing, and spending time on the family farm.
Favourite motto: “Do well with what you have been given.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram, Facebook
9. Kelsey Mitchell
Sport: Cycling
Age: 30
Hometown: Sherwood Park
Outside Interests: Graduated from the University of Alberta in 2016
Fun Fact: Inspired by the mentality and work ethic of Georgia Simmerling, another athlete who was a late transfer into track cycling from another sport.
Where To Keep Up: Instagram, Twitter
10. Sarah Orban
Sport: Cycling
Age: 28
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Loves to read, bake, cook and play golf… Would like to pursue a career as a sport psychologist.
Favourite Motto: “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them–a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
11. Molly Simpson
Sport: Cycling
Age: 21
Hometown: Red Deer
Outside Interests: Enjoys doing crossfit and snowboarding in the off-season… Would like to become a firefighter after her BMX career.
Favourite motto: “Here and now.”
Where To Keep Up: Instagram, Facebook
12. Margo Erlam
Sport: Diving
Age: 22
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Studying sociology at the University of Saskatchewan.
Fun Fact: Received a Bitove Indigenous Award from the Canadian Olympic Foundation in 2022.
Where To Keep Up: Instagram
13. Caeli McKay
Sport: Diving
Age: 25
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Enjoys outdoor sports in her spare time, such as fly fishing, mountain biking, snowboarding and hiking.
Odds and Ends: Married to two-time Olympian diver Vincent Riendeau.
Where To Keep Up: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
14. Daniel Gu
Sport: Fencing
Age: 25
Hometown: Edmonton
Fun Fact: Gu is coached by his mother Jujie Luan, who is a four-time Olympian.
Favourite Motto: “Don’t be a baby about it, be about it baby.”
Where to Keep up: Instagram
15. Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski
Sport: Rowing
Age: 33
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Supports Fast and Female. Enjoys skiing, biking, and socializing with friends to take her mind off rowing.
Favourite Motto: “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live forever as a champion” – Mohammad Ali.
Where to Keep up: Twitter, Instagram
16. Jessica Sevick
Sport: Rowing
Age: 35
Hometown: Strathmore
Outside Interests: Enjoys mountain biking, alpine skiing, camping, reading. Supports Fast and Female and Love Your Brain.
Favourite Motto: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose”
Where to Keep up: Instagram
17. Fancy Bermudez
Sport: Rugby Sevens
Age: 22
Hometown: Edmonton
Where to Keep up: Instagram
18. Piper Logan
Sport: Rugby Sevens
Age: 23
Hometown: Calgary
Where to Keep up: Instagram
19. Krissy Scurfield
Sport: Rugby Sevens
Age: 21
Hometown: Canmore
Where to Keep up: Instagram
20. Keyara Wardley
Sport: Rugby Sevens
Age: 24
Hometown: Vulcan
Outside Interests: Enjoys hiking or anything that gets her outside. Would like to pursue a career in forensic science.
Fun Fact: Brother Evan Wardley plays professional hockey in the ECHL and has been her biggest inspiration. She also collects snow globes from her travels.
Where to Keep up: Instagram
21. Michele Esercitato
Sport: Shooting
Age: 22
Hometown: Calgary
Where to Keep up: Instagram
22. Tye Ikeda
Sport: Shooting
Age: 27
Hometown: Calgary
Where to Keep up: Instagram
23. Emma Finlin
Sport: Swimming
Age: 19
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Enjoys trying new cafes with her sister… Likes to mountain bike and spend time with her family on their boat.
Fun Fact: Nickname: Admits to being very superstitious with good luck socks, water bottle, and pre-swim lunch of a Subway sub.
Where to Keep up: Instagram
24. Apollo Hess
Sport: Swimming
Age: 22
Hometown: Lethbridge
Outside Interests: Attended the University of Lethbridge…
Fun Fact: it wasn’t until he was 14 that he dedicated himself to swimming. Member of the Kainai Nation!
Where to Keep up: Instagram
25. Yuri Kisil
Sport: Swimming
Age: 28
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Enjoys kicking back, relaxing, playing guitar and dancing (specifically to Shakira.)
Favourite Motto: “I’ve wrestled with an alligator, I’ve tussled with a whale; I done handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”
Where to Keep up: Twitter, Instagram
26. Finlay Knox
Sport: Swimming
Age: 23
Hometown: Okotoks
Outside Interests: Enjoys skateboarding, rock climbing, golfing, snowboarding, playing pond hockey
Favourite motto: “You will get knocked down: it is whether or not you are willing to get back up.”
Where to Keep up: Instagram
27. Emma O’Croinin
Sport: Swimming
Age: 21
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Studying kinesiology at the University of British Columbia…
Fun Fact: Started swimming competitively at age 8
Where to Keep up: Instagram
28. Rebecca Smith
Sport: Swimming
Age: 24
Hometown: Red Deer
Other Interests: Enjoys reading, wake surfing, and water skiing. Loves hiking in Banff and Canmore in the summer. Favourite motto: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Where to Keep up: Twitter , Instagram
29. Lorne Wigginton
Sport: Swimming
Age: 18
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Enjoys golfing, watching movies and playing video games with friends.
Fun Fact: Listens to the same song before every race until he has a bad one, after which he will change to a different song
Where to Keep up: Instagram
30. Ingrid Wilm
Sport: Swimming
Age: 26
Hometown: Calgary
Outside Interests: Enjoys going on hikes to waterfalls, watching movies, reading.
Fun Fact: Always enters the pool or steps onto the start block from the right side.
Favourite motto: “Fresh as a Daisy’
Where to Keep up: Instagram
31. Lucas Van Berkel
Sport: Volleyball
Age: 29
Hometown: Edmonton
Outside Interests: Enjoys watching and playing almost any sport. Would like to pursue a career as a firefighter or start his own fitness centre.
Fun Fact: Collects beer mugs from his travels.
Favourite motto: “Believe!”
Where to Keep up: Twitter, Instagram
32. Brett Walsh
Sport: Volleyball
Age: 30
Hometown: Calgary
Where to Keep up: Instagram
33. Rae Lekness
Sport: Water Polo
Age: 30
Hometown: Calgary
Where to Keep up: Instagram
34. Kindred Paul
Sport: Water Polo
Age: 28
Hometown: Spruce Grove
Outside Interests: Hobbies include reading and interior design. Would like to attend medical school.
Fun Fact: Recently started collecting stickers from the different places she visits. She’s inspired by Colin Kaepernick for using his public platform as he has to raise awareness around racial issues
Where to Keep up: Instagram
All these athletes’ journeys have been filled with hard work, dedication, and a whole lot of heart.
Whether they’re making waves in the pool, racing down the track, or competing in their respective sports, they’re all set to showcase the best of Alberta’s athletic talent.
So, as we follow their adventures and cheer them on from afar, let’s celebrate their incredible achievements and support them all the way to the podium.
Go Team Alberta—show the world what you’ve got!
