Tijana McCarthy will be off to the Special Olympics in Berlin this summer.

The Special Olympics World Summer Games take place June 17-25 in the German capital.

Tijana (pronounced T-Anna) will be representing Canada in Level 4 Golf.

The Star sat down with McCarthy and her mom, Erin Steele-Glass, Thursday. McCarthy’s coach and cousin, Teneil Caron, joined in on the phone.

Her mom explained how this came about.

“She went to a tournament in August in Cranbrook, won a silver medal there, which qualified her to be put into the list of things – because it wasn’t really a trial this time around. Because of COVID, there was like – cancelled, so they had put out a list of opportunities that if one of the kids or adults fit into that category, then they’d have a chance to go, as long as they’d done one tournament, which she did.

“So then we got the letter stating that she was qualified to go for Level 4 golf in Berlin.

“Kind of like a lottery, really.”

Caron added McCarthy won silver at the B.C. Alternative Competition in Cranbrook.

The Aug. 15 competition was the SOBC (Special Olympics B.C.) Super Summer Series Golf Tournament.

McCarthy was excited to hear the news that she’d qualified for Berlin.

“I feel happy,” she related. “I got to go with my cousin (Caron).”

Steele-Glass recalled “Her dad and I were notified first, to make sure that we were actually OK with sending here halfway across the world, cause originally as well we didn’t know if she was going to be able to take a coach with her or if she was going to have to do it without a coach, without anyone from here.

“So we had put that stipulation that if someone from here couldn’t go with her, we weren’t all that comfortable sending her. But it did come up that they could bring a caddy/ coach with them, which ended up being her cousin, which is even better. That was the kicker, that all worked out.”

Steele-Glass and her husband Jay are planning to go watch McCarthy compete in Berlin.

“Yes, we would like to go for sure,” she said. “I’m not sure about her dad, but definitely me and my husband have already started planning to go.”

McCarthy chimed in, “You’re gonna watch me?”

Her mom replied “Yes.”

Steele-Glass said she’s “super proud” of her daughter.

“It’s such a big opportunity she has. (She) travelled one other time in 2017; she went to Austria for the Worlds, but those were winter Worlds, for figure skating and so, yeah, a little bit younger at that time.

“This time around, I feel a little more comfortable about it but again, she has her cousin going with her but I know that she’s a little more independent now so she can handle this on her own and – we’re super proud and excited for her.”

McCarthy turns 26 in May.

Caron said she felt “ecstatic. Special Olympics had brought me down to discuss it with me and I think instantly I was ecstatic. I said yes on the spot. It’s a great opportunity for Tijana and I am so honoured that I am able to go with her as her coach/caddy. It is an amazing experience. I can’t wait to experience it with her.”

When asked how it will feel to represent the Yukon, Caron responded “Amazing.”

“I feel good,” added McCarthy.

Her mother said McCarthy has been golfing for a long time.

“We’re golfers, all of us in the family, so she’s been golfing probably from the time she was, I don’t know, eight or so. She’s been golfing a long time and she’s always … she started with Special O in 2007 … as soon as they put that program, I guess, into their program, she’s been golfing at Special O. That’s her summer and then winter (figure skating). So she does the two sports.”

McCarthy was asked what she enjoys about the game.

“I have fun. Good golf … when I hit it. My cousin Teneil told me.”

“Your cousin Teneil told you you like to hit the ball?” asked her mom.

“Yes,” answered McCarthy, to much laughter.

It was mentioned that McCarthy’s pretty good at figure skating as well.

“Yeah, I’m think I’m good,” she said.

“You’re good at it,” agreed her mom.

When asked what she liked about it, McCarthy responded, “I think maybe, Mike.”

“Her friends, right?” said her mom. “Mike – you like going and skating with your friends. That’s actually a very big part of why she likes to go. Probably to both sports.”

McCarthy said “Mike and Amy.”

Steele-Glass said “Mike and Amy are both at skating too. And you get to travel with them, right?”

McCarthy replied “Yeah.”

McCarthy added she’s been doing figure skating even longer than golf.

So what’s up next for McCarthy prior to going to Berlin?

Caron said “We have a training camp in the middle of November in Toronto that we’ll be going to and then I think we have another training camp in the new year; I just don’t know the dates yet for that one.” The training camp in Toronto takes place Nov. 11-13.

McCarthy added the trip to Austria in 2017 was fun and made her happy.

“That trip, though, she had two other athletes with her, from the Yukon, so this will be much different but it’s just her,” said her mom. “She’ll meet teammates in Toronto and in those two training camps; at least she’ll get to know who she’s going to be traveling with.”

McCarthy will be part of a team of 10 golfers going to the Games.

“I’m feeling happy. I’m happy to go.”

Steele-Glass said “We’ve got to get a map out so she can understand how far it is.”

Her mom didn’t go with her to Austria.

“That’s also kind of why I don’t really want to miss this one.”

This will be McCarthy’s first time in Germany.

“I’m so excited,” she said.

The following is a list of Special Olympics competitions McCarthy has competed in and the results:

2015 BC Kamloops Provincials – Figure skating- Silver

2016 NFLD Nationals – Figure Skating – Gold

2017 Austria World Games – Figure skating – Silver

2017 BC Golf – N/A

2019 BC Vernon Provincials – Bronze

2020 Thunder Bay Nationals – N/A

2022 BC Alternative Competition – Silver