Yukon athletes didn’t wait long to make a mark at the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto.

On Day 1 of competition, Whitehorse’s Naiose Dempsey won the territory’s first medal: silver, in the 14U Male two-kilometre cross-country running race.

Dempsey posted a time of eight minutes and 24. 39 seconds, 0.25 seconds off of first place.

Team Yukon’s Isaac O’Brien and Cory Holway were seventh and 12th respectively.

Friday evening, Team Yukon gathered at the wharf on Front Street for a pep rally parade towards the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. Once there, they were addressed by dignitaries.

Assisstant chef de mission Ian Angus light a flame for the athletes.

“When it’s all done,” he said, “I want you to remember to come home the way you left, maybe a little bit bigger in the chest and a little bit prouder and a little bit taller.”

The athletes flew to Toronto Saturday, where more than 5,000 First Nation athletes are expected to gather for the competition.

Sunday’s opening ceremony was delayed for rain and the teams did not get to march into the stadium for the parade of athletes, but Team Yukon flagbearers Cassis Lindsay (swimming) and Shayne Melanson (wrestling) brought the Yukon flag into the stadium to raucous cheers.

Competition continues through to July 23 with Team Yukon athletes competing in 11 sports.

The team is comprised of:

Archery: Seth Chief, Isaiah English, Jesse Kates, Zakayla Netro, David Stoneman, Levi Stoneman

Athletics: Jayden Demchuk, Samantha Demchuk, Naoise Dempsey, Alicia Fox, Mollie Fraser, Mairi (Kate) Hannah, Cory Holway, Ava Irving-Staley, Teryn Kassi, Hunter LeBlanc-Blackjack, Thomas Moore, Isaac O’Brien

Badminton: Morgan Blattman, Evan Melanek, Riley Gill, Montana Kains-Beaudoin, Douglas McKinnon, Delilah Stephen-Bailey, Samantha Stephen-Bailey

Basketball (girls): Lenit Alatini, Susanna Carlick, Leigha Douville, Cassidy Everitt, Abilene Freeman, Cassie Johnston, Chloe Johnston, Tamika Johnston, Ivy-Rain Morin, Vanessa Oliverio

Basketball (boys): Jordan Cote, Broden Cull, Parker Hobbis, Trevor Jones, Justice Reid, Cole Robulack, Kiiwaadin Swan, McKenzie Taylor

Canoe/ Kayak: Reena Coyne, Jedrek Dendys, Alice Frost-Hanberg, Nyla Helm, Katelyn Holway, Anya Jim, Erin Jim, Tyrone Kyikavichik, Belit Peters, Serena Schafer, Eliza Van Bibber, Morgan Williams

Culture: Carmen Baker, Kaylyn Baker, Shaheen Baker, Cody Gill, Madison Gill, Tyra Gill, Riley Gill, Ethan Isaac, Teri-Lee Isaac, Keyshawn Sawyer

Golf: Austin Kirk, Ethan Smith

Rifle Shooting: Lara Bode, Emma-Lee Burns, Jessa Frost-Klugie, Brayden Gleason-Frost, Nevada Joe, Jasmine Johnson, Zerryn Martin, Corey Roberts

Soccer: Kobe Allen, Seth Boss, Curtis Dawson, Joshua Dulac, Jaden Elias-Miller, Christopher Holmes, Dylan Jim, Julius Hager, Sacho Jack, Nichalos Koe, Marlon Scarff, Jonas Schaerig, Marcus Sparvier, Jaden Hume-Berry, Zackary Wirth-Richard

Swimming: Kassua Dreyer, Cassis Lindsay, Rennes Lindsay, Camron Maguire, Helene Maguire, Brooklyn Massie, Shailyn Moore

Volleyball: Joshua Austin Samson, Julius Hager, Griffin Bisson, Joseph Coyne, Navarro Davies, Ethan Davy, Tyrell Genier, Jesse Goodman, Nicholas Williams, Gavin Winter-Sinnott

Volleyball (U16 girls): Ayeisha Cockney, Amber Dickson, Victoria Dickson, Gracie Ekholm, Izabella House, Dylan-Lee Jim, Mya Kinney, Savana Kremer, Anna Lund, Nev Shannon, Regan Stewart and Kamryn Williamson

Volleyball (U19 girls): Azul Billy, Shae Garrett-Charlie, Shania Hogan, Aleshia Kremer, Samantha Mcleod, Taiya Melancon, Maeve Miller, Zaria Netro, Emma Pater, Tasha-Lee Schwantz, Indica Stewart and Asia Winter-Sinnott

Wrestling: Jordyn Asp, Amber Baker, Russell-Trent LeBlanc-Blackjack, Shayne Melanson, Judy Russell