Games on: Opening ceremony gets Canada Games off to energetic start in St. John's
Thousands of young athletes from every Canadian province and territory marched into the sold-out Mary Brown's Centre to loud cheers, but the loudest were reserved for the hosts. Team Newfoundland and Labrador had the audience on their feet, waving flags, and cheering at the top of their voices as athletes entered to the upbeat sounds of Great Big Sea's Ordinary Day.
Canada Games Host Society CEO Karen Sherriffs said the opening ceremony was a way to introduce "the richness of our local culture" but it also set the table for what's to come.
"It's that 'welcome' to all these athletes that's gonna really set the stage for two really unforgettable weeks of competition," she said. "It's pretty magical when all those athletes start to come in and are the centre of attention as they walk in by province and territory.
"These athletes have trained for over four years to get to this point …[and] this is the first time that they may represent their province or territory on a national stage."
Sherriffs said the opening ceremony creates a lasting memory for many athletes simply because it brings everyone together.
"We often hear from Canada Games alumni – whether that's athletes, staff or officials or coaches – sometimes our most memorable moment is the opening and closing ceremonies. Because it's really that sense of unity, pride [and] excitement that they carry with them," Sherriffs said.
"When they walk into that [arena], it doesn't matter what province territory you're from, that crowd and the audience is cheering for them."
WATCH | 'We need to fight for sport,' Catriona Le May Doan sits down with CBC Sports:
For Catriona Le May Doan, there's nothing she looks forward to more than this moment.
The Canada Games Council Chair – a two-time Olympic champion and three-time Canada Games athlete – said the opening ceremony is where the journey each athlete took to get to the Games is celebrated.
"At every Games, regardless of what Games they are – whether they're Canada Games, whether they're Olympic Games, whether they're Special Olympic Games – I love the opening ceremony because they're so powerful. They're the start," Le May Doan said. "For every person that's been a part of this journey, this is where it starts.
"The opening ceremony is, for me, always emotional. Because it's the culmination, and it's the beginning."
Le May Doan also delivered a message of motivation to the more than 2,000 athletes on hand for the opening ceremony.
"You have so much support here in this arena, and in St. John's, and across the country," she said. "I want to say to you today, savour the pride of representing your community, your province or territory. Use that pride as fuel, as you carry that further and push your limits."
Stream live action from the 2025 Canada Games on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem, and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Check the broadcast schedule for full details.
Local Para-swimming legend Katarina Roxon lit the Canada Games cauldron to officially open the Games, which also starts a very busy stretch for a fellow Para swimmer. Team Newfoundland and Labrador's Gavin Baggs is a dual-sport Para athlete and will compete in eight different disciplines in St. John's – five swimming events plus three track events.
Baggs's goal is to represent Canada at the Paralympics and he said these Games offer a way for young athletes to showcase their talents as they progress in their sporting career.
"These Games provide an arena for the best young athletes in Canada to really show off their skills, show off what they've been working on [and] how hard they've trained."
Baggs said there are quite a few reasons for sports fans to watch the action from St. John's over the next 17 days.
"The ability to just cheer for your province, cheer for the athletes that have worked so hard to see that all the effort they put in [has] finally paid off," he said. "It's very entertaining to watch and it's very uplifting, very emotional, dramatic stuff."
St. John's Mayor Danny Breen said he's excited to take in as much action at the Games as he can because of the enthusiasm and heart shown by Canada Games athletes.
"I'm a big softball [and] baseball fan. I still play softball – or try anyway – so I'm looking forward to [it]," he said. "I was at the Canada Games in P.E.I. [in 2023] and even sports that I wasn't that familiar with I watched because there was such excitement, and the camaraderie amongst the athletes – they're just putting their all into it, and how supportive they were of each other.
"[There] was just such a feeling there that I'm gonna be taking in as many of the Games here as I possibly can."
Those not in St. John's can watch live action from the Canada Games with CBC Sports. Live streams will be available on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem and the CBC Sports YouTube channel throughout the Games. Click here for the full broadcast schedule.
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