Lyrik Albert of Sweetgrass First Nation won U16 3D Archery at her first North American Indigenous Games. (Submitted photos/Lance Albert)

By Martin Martinson

Top of the Podium

Sweetgrass archer takes home gold at North American Indigenous Games

Jul 24, 2023 | 5:00 PM

It was a week to remember for Sweetgrass First Nation’s Lyrik Albert, as she took home the gold in her first time representing Saskatchewan at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

One of more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from over 750 Indigenous Nations taking part in this year’s event in Halifax, Albert competed in U16 Female 3D Compound Archery and spoke about what it meant to earn the gold medal in her first time at the Games.

“I feel super honoured and super excited to bring home the gold medal because I’m so proud to represent my family and my Nation and Team Saskatchewan,” she told battlefordsNOW, reflecting on the experience.

“I’m very glad I had this opportunity as a young Indigenous girl because I know there are a lot of people in Saskatchewan and from all over North America that really wanted to come and just haven’t yet had the chance to do so. I’m super proud to represent such a huge province and huge community of a lot of people.”

Albert wasted no time getting off and running on the opening day of the four-day archery event, taking place July 18-21 at Millbrook First Nation, an hour north of Halifax.

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Scoring 351 for a seven-point lead at the end of the opening round, Albert really pulled away from the pack on day two of the event, when she scored a 375 to finish 45 points up on second place and earn a bye to the semi-finals of the competition.

Albert credits her experience and ability to adapt quickly to new surroundings as a key to her success.

“It’s a whole different scenery and terrain over there and I’m glad that I adapted quickly,” she said. “It was pouring rain the whole second day and I felt bad because so many of the people weren’t used to rain while shooting and I think that’s really what gave me an advantage, that I’ve shot in the rain before. It’s also a different kind of air here, it’s very humid compared to Saskatchewan where it’s very dry.”

That adaptability continued to serve Albert well onto the semis Friday, when she topped Ontario’s Waasayah Munro-Soldier 39-34 to advance to the finals against another Ontario representative in Anya Pinel, this time coming away with the 38-35 victory for the gold.

In addition to the competition itself, Albert said just getting to travel to the east coast for the first time and experience the culture was also among the highlights from the trip she’ll remember.

“It’s crazy how rich their culture is, I was talking about that with my mom that it was so cool to see and experience the different traditions that they have and practices, but at the same time we have a lot of similar practices here [in Saskatchewan],” she said. “It was cool to see that flexibility in Indigenous culture and Indigenous traditions across North America.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1