The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle gave out awards recognizing excellence in sports at the first-ever Government of Yukon Celebration of Sport Excellence ceremony at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre Thursday night.

The recipients were:

Premier’s Awards of Excellence

Athletics – Parawheelchair: Jessica Frotten

Canoe and Kayak: Mael Pronovost, Pelly Vincent-Braun

Cross Country Skiing: Dahria Beatty, Ernest Chua, Natalie Hynes, Knute Johnsgaard, Darby Mclntyre, Owen Munroe, Kendra Murray, Emily Nishikawa, Amanda Thompson

Curling: Thomas Scoffin

Figure Skating: Bryn Hoffman, Tijana McCarthy, Michael Sumner

Freestyle Skiing: Etienne Geoffroy

Hockey: Kaine Comin, Johnny Elias, Jonas Leas, Benjamin McClelland, Josh Tetlichi

Orienteering: Leif Blake, Pia Blake, Ross Burnett, Afan Jones, Caelan McLean, Forest Pearson, Sabine Schweiger

Minister’s Awards of Recognition

Athletics: Jack Amos, Brenda Dion, Bonnie Love, John Storms, Don White

Basketball: Ryan Hindson

Cycling: Ava Irving-Staley

Hockey - Bantam: Bryce Anderson, Joshua Austin, Aimery Barrault, Marcel Barrault, Oscar Burgess, Kyron Crosby, Kirk Gale, Saul Gale, Marco Harwood, Liam Hudson, Wyatt Peterson, Eric Potvin, Oscar Sawicki, Kyle Schwantz, Dawson Smith, Brett Walchuk, Isaac Williamson, Joshua Zaccarelli

Hockey – Pee-Wee: Sawyer Adams, Ty Beacon, Hugo Burgess, Connor Cooper, Cole Cowan, Connor Cozens, Mike Cozens, Mason Driscoll, Errol Ekholm, Jake Jirousek, Sasha Jirousek, Austin Larkin, Landon Marsh, Nolan Matthews, Joshua Schenk, Joey Schultz, Ryder Twardochleb, Ashton Underhill, Michelle Underhill, Joshua Wanless

Judo: Cassi Jensen, Shayne Melanson

Orienteering: Leif Blake, Nesta Leduc

Swimming: Rennes Lindsay

Wrestling: Daniel Toner

Awards of Recognition –

55+ Games

Darts: Gary Hewitt

Scrabble (Category A): Tyrner Colleen

Scrabble (Category C): Shirley Clark

Track and Field: Rose Leenders, John Hall, Naomi Hall, Donna Jones, Hank Leenders, David Kalles, Allan Benjamin, Bryan Craven, Brenda Dion, Don White

Awards of Recognition ­ –

Arctic Winter Games

Alpine Skiing: Charlie Hawes, Shane Orban, Katie Vowk

Arctic Sports: Matt Jacobson, Robyn Poulter

Biathlon Ski: Liam Adel

Biathlon Snowshoe: Aidan Adel, Marika Kitchen, Hannah Korn, Francis Reid, Bruce Wilson

Cross Country Skiing: Simon Cash, Hannah Deuling, Derek Deuling, Alexis Gee, Natalie Hynes

Dene Games: Alyssa Clooten, Jedrek Dendys, Thaeron Green, Kadin Hare, Jessa Klugie, Ryan Long, Maureen McGinty, Terrence O’Brien, Tyler O’Brien, Tony Tessaro

Snowshoe: Jack Amos, Breda McIntyre

Olympic Recognition – Athletes

Cross Country Skiing: Emily Nishikawa, Lucy Steele-Masson, Jane Vincent

Cycling: Zach Bell

Hockey: Andy Gilpin, Ross King

Weightlifting: Jeane Lassen

Olympic Recognition –

Support Team

Alain Masson (Cross Country Skiing - Head Technician / Technician)

Stephen Wattereus (Cross Country Skiing - Massage Therapist)

Olympic Recognition – Officials

Biathlon: Ted Dean

Cross Country Skiing : Claude Chabot

Curling: Marg White

Short Track Speed Skating: Cynthia Onions, Agnes Reidiger, Barry Sugden

Paralympic Recognition –

Support Team

Graham Nishikawa (Cross Country Skiing Team – Guide)

Paralympic Recognition – Commentator

Stephanie Dixon (Canadian Paralympic Committee Broadcast Team)

The names of the recipients for the new male and female aboriginial athlete and coach of the year awards were not available at press time.