It’s been a while since I’ve written an update and what better time to sit and write than on a 13hr flight to Africa, right? So here I am, en route to the Ivory Coast for the 8th Jeux de la Francophonie.
For those who don’t know, the Francophone Games occur every 4 years and celebrate French culture and heritage. It’s the largest multisport and cultural games in the world. That’s right, there are cultural events! So along with sending a number of athletes to compete at the Games we are accompanied by a number of artists, dancers, and storytellers to name a few. I’m a part of the Canada-Nouveau Brunswick delegation, as the only bilingual province in Canada we have a number of spots at the Games. There is also Team Canada and Team Canada-Quebec. This is the second Games I have been fortunate enough to compete at. I was a member of the Canada-Nouveau Brunswick team in 2013 for the Games in Nice, France as well where I won a silver medal. It was the first medal ever won in wrestling for Team Canada-Nouveau Brunswick and the only silver medal for our delegation in the 7th Games in Nice. It was an awesome accomplishment, but of course there is always room for improvement. I’m looking to improve on that performance for this games and I hope to be on the top of the podium this time around. I have grown a lot over this past quadrennial and I’m confident that my performance will reflect that.
Of course, it’s only Wednesday and I don’t compete until Sunday so it’s going to be a busy week of training and soaking up the atmosphere of the Games and the athlete’s village. I’m hoping to have some time to write again to share my experiences of the opening ceremonies, but after that I’ll be on a social media blackout until after I’m done competing. In my next post I’ll also share links for the livestream of the event for those who want to tune in to watch. That’s all for now! But stay tuned and watch for updates on the Equipe Canada-Nouveau Brunswick social media outlets! They have a Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram account!
Samantha Stewart 