The Yukon’s Darby McIntyre has been selected to the Special Olympics Team Canada 2022 Training Squad announced March 9. McIntyre is one of 108 athletes who have qualified for the Training Squad with the potential to represent Canada at the next Special Olympics World Winter Games.

As well as the athletes, 48 coaches and mission staff from across the country have also been selected.

Athletes, coaches, and mission staff who qualified for the Training Squad will officially become Special Olympics Team Canada 2022 once the squad progresses through all necessary training and the safety of international travel and mass gatherings specific to the Games are assessed.

The 2022 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Russia.

It is a significant achievement for McIntyre, who made Team Canada in 2015 for track and field. Going to the Winter Games will be a different animal, he said.

“It feels great,” said McIntyre. “It feels cool to go to my first World Winter Games. I went to Summer Games for worlds for track but this is different. It is cool that it’s going to be in Russia because I’ve never been there.

“This will be my first winter one. That will be a different thing entirely. I’m excited for that.”

In 2015, McIntyre competed in the 5,000 and 1,500 metre races earning a gold and bronze medal. He said he stays focused on running and skiing throughout the year and has upped his training further.

“I’ve been focusing on both equally,” said McIntyre. “I always continue running in the summertime. I’ve been working up to half marathons. I do always focus on skiing and snowshoeing in the winter times. I’ve been keeping pretty active.

“And, I’ve started my first strength training today (Friday) at the Northern Strength Academy.”

There is no guarantee the 2022 Games will be held, currently, they are operating as if they will run, however, given the global pandemic the organizing committee is constantly monitoring the situation.

Even though the Games are still not set in stone, McIntyre said he will continue to train diligently.

“It might not actually happen but that is OK,” said McIntyre. “Training is never a waste. It’ll make you healthier and stronger in the long run. Especially because I want to stay active into my 90s hopefully.”

All athletes, coaches, and mission staff were selected to the Training Squad because of their hard work at weekly programs and training. Then they progressed through Regional and Provincial/Territorial competitions and qualified through their performance at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Thunder Bay 2020.

In Thunder Bay, McIntyre earned two gold medals in the five- and 10-kilometre classic races. He also won silver in the 7.5-kilometre race.

The Thunder Bay Games were the last competition for McIntyre because COVID-19 shuttered all other events. He said he was thankful to have competed there and make new friends along the way.

“It was funny we got to do that before COVID happened,” said McIntyre.

“It was great to be there. I got to see a lot of skiers that I am friends with now.

“One thing about competition for me, is I am competing against myself and not so much them. I always cheer them on at the start to take away the pressure and let them know we are in this together. We are racing to help each other reach our full potential.

“The nice thing about going to this competition is I’ll get to socialize. I’ll get to socialize with my teammates and that will be fun.”

After returning home from Ontario, the pandemic was in full effect and McIntyre said it was a tough stretch where he wasn’t feeling motivated to continue to be active. But, on his birthday he went for a ski that got him eager to keep pushing forward.

“I am going to keep training and I have a route I have at the Mount Mac trails I like to do,” said McIntyre. “It is World Cup 10k, I take that to Powerline that to Best Chance by way of Lower Valley. That’s a nice 20 kilometre loop.

“I did that on my birthday, that gave me my joy back for skiing. Before that, I didn’t have a lot of energy and motivation, like I didn’t look forward to it as much as I do running. After that, the euphoria I felt was amazing.

“Now I am really excited. I play the metal and the rock to get me into it. Get that angst going. When that’s the case I’m like a bottle of compressed air ready to explode into action.”

Andrew Elines, program director at Special Olympics Yukon, said SOY will help McIntyre reach his full potential.

“We will help him with his training coach. Basically, maximize his training and just make sure his training is the best he can get and is personalized to him so he can break those personal bests.

“We are obviously super proud. The great thing I say about Darby is he will be one of the first across the finish line and then he will be there at the finish line cheering on the person right after him. He gives great support to teammates and his competitors.”

”We are all in this together,” McIntyre added. “We are racing against ourselves and making each other go hard. We are motivating each other to reach our full potential.”

At the Special Olympics World Winter Games, McIntyre said he will be hopefully doing two events, the 7.5- and 10-kilometre races.

“The longer distances are my best,” he said. “It is like that for running too.”

One of the joys of going to competitions for McIntyre is meeting new friends from across Canada and the world. In Thunder Bay, he said he made good friends with who he still keeps in touch. They continue to share ski videos.

“I love socializing, it is one of the most meaningful things to me,” said McIntyre. “(I like) having meaningful conversations and making people happy and being happy.”

McIntyre said he couldn’t have made the Training Squad without a solid support system backing him.

“My parents are really devoted to me, I can’t ask for better parents and not to mention I have a really great sister,” he said. “I want to give credit to my parents and my coaches. All the coaches who volunteer are really devoted. I really appreciate it. That goes a long way.

“They’ve helped me define myself.”

He also had a message to his future competitors.

“I wish all the people who will hopefully be going to Worlds from all the other countries, I hope they have people rooting for them and helping them,” he said. “I wish them the best of luck and I look forward to racing with them and not against them.”