Latest news with #LukeEnns
CBC
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Team Manitoba kayaker Luke Enns leading by example at the Canada Games
Social Sharing ST. JOHN'S – Luke Enns is one of the most accomplished athletes at the 2025 Canada Games. That's not just because of the way the Olympic-hopeful kayaker carries himself in competition, but for how he does in everyday life — as a quiet leader on and off the water. Enns competes in eight events at Quidi Vidi Lake, in the east end of St. John's, but his Canada Games experience stretches far beyond that. This is the third time the 19-year-old from Winnipeg has competed at the Games. He won two medals in kayak at the 2022 Games and competed in biathlon at the 2023 Games, but the 2025 Games are still a unique experience for him. That's because Enns was chosen as Team Manitoba's flag-bearer for the opening ceremony. "It was an honour to be the flag-bearer for Team Manitoba and to lead the team. I haven't had that experience before, so it was very, very nice," he said. "I did a speech at the pep rally [and] I said a couple of words." The message he delivered to his fellow Team Manitoba athletes was simple: the most important lesson he's learned at the Canada Games is that hard work and dedication can put an underdog on the podium. "I just shared my experience of in 2022 [when] we won two bronze medals. That was something that nobody was really expecting. "One thing [I've learned at the Canada Games] is just to keep pushing no matter what," Enns said. "Even if you're in a position where you're not expected to do well or not expected to medal, there's always opportunities to medal or to do things that you didn't think were a possibility." WATCH | Enns a leader on and off the water: Enns isn't a loud voice, but one that resonates with his teammates — a natural who leads by example, according to Team Manitoba canoe-kayak head coach Jerome Seremak. "He's really quiet and, you know, [keeps] to himself but he's really a team player, for sure. He's all for the team," Seremak said. "He's a quiet [leader]; he doesn't like to push people, but when he's asked, he steps up." Enns has represented Canada at the international level at the 2024 Sprint Canoe Junior World Championships, as well as the 2023 Olympic Hopefuls Regatta in Poland. He won gold in kayak singles at the 2022 Sprint Canoe Nationals, and was a multiple medallist at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games. The paddler has a wealth of experience despite starting his kayak career relatively late — he began almost by accident five years ago. Enns was looking for a summertime activity to supplement another sport — but kayaking soon became his passion. "To be honest, [I chose] kayaking [because] I just wanted to be outside, and I wanted to do some cross-training because I was interested in cross-country skiing at the time," he said. "Then I slowly started getting faster and faster and got more and more involved in the sport." Once new to the sport, now Enns is also counted on to be a mentor for his fellow paddlers. "Well, I think I'm just in a position to do that because the guys on my team, especially the kayakers, are a bit younger. There's two older guys and two younger guys. And it's good to build the team around me so that we have good training partners and everything. So, making sure that they're improving, that's important." WATCH | What are the Canada Games?: What exactly are the Canada Games? 2 days ago Excellence in sport, leadership, community involvement His mentorship is one of the reasons why he was selected as a regional recipient of the Tom Longboat Award in 2024. The award recognizes Indigenous athletes that not only show excellence in sport, but also in leadership, and community involvement. Enns, a Métis athlete, said the fact that he's representing the next generation of Indigenous athletes is important to him, especially within his sport. "I like kayaking because it's a chance to put myself onto waterways that my ancestors have been through for years," he said. "So, kayaking is special to me in that way." Enns has taught paddling at Métis school groups, summer camps, and individual lessons – dedication to the community that helped him "preserve and promote his Indigeneity while fostering connections to the land and water," the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council noted. WATCH | 'We need to fight for sport,' Catriona Le May Doan sits down with CBC Sports: 'We need to fight for sport,' Catriona Le May Doan sits down with CBC Sports 5 days ago The Olympic champion, known for her speed on the ice, describes the value and importance of the Canada Games from her perspective as Chair of the Canada Games Council to CBC Sports host Anastasia Bucsis. Enns said he takes his Métis heritage out onto the water every time he competes, but especially when he's at home. "When I'm out on the water, especially at home and on the Red River, it's sort of been a historical waterway. So, paddling there is special," he said. "And taking that over [to Quidi Vidi Lake] is amazing to compete with everybody." Enns not only balances his athletic pursuits with community service, he does so while working toward an engineering degree at the University of Manitoba. One of the attributes that makes Enns such a special athlete is his drive and determination, something his coach believes will help him get to the pinnacle of his sport. "He's driven, he has a goal," Seremak said. "The goal is potentially to go to the next Olympic Games, and we are working every year towards that. "He is right on track." Seremak said the Canada Games gives Enns the belief he's ready for the road to the Olympic Games. "It gives him that [confidence] that he can be in an even bigger Games than this. Being in a Games like this is special, I mean just even making the team is special for any of the kids," Seremak said. "And, you know, just even dreaming that maybe [he] can do the same like Adam van Koeverden before him." The Canada Games are helping Enns prepare for his next major competition, which are the national championships later this month in Regina. Beyond that, he's said he's not too focused on the future and possibly competing at the Olympics. He's just looking to keep getting better at his craft. "I'm just here to kayak and to see how far I can get with it. We'll see how far I can go. I'll just be focusing on improving, more and more. The Canada Games give kind of a unique atmosphere [for that]."
CBC
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Luke Enns is a leader on and off the water for Team Manitoba at the Canada Games
Luke Enns is competing in kayak at his 3rd Canada Games, having previously won 2 bronze medals in 2022, and competing in biathlon at the Canada Winter Games in 2023. Shining on the field of play and off he was the recipient of the 2024 Tom Longboat award for Manitoba. We can't wait to see what the Team Manitoba flag-bearer can do in St. John's.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Team Toba is off to the races
Winnipeg On July 29, Team Manitoba — which consists of over 370 athletes from all corners of the province — unveiled the uniforms it will be sporting throughout the 2025 Canada Summer Games, which will be taking place in St. John's, NL. from Aug. 8 to 25. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. Over 4,000 athletes, coaches and managers are scheduled to compete in a wide array of seasonal sporting events, which include team games such as baseball and solo competitions such as kayaking. This year's official flag bearer for Team Manitoba — who will be the first to enter the ring and represent the province — will be Luke Enns, a 19-year-old kayaker. Enns was the recipient of the annual Tom Longboat Award, presented by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council (MASRC), last year. Photos by Emma Honeybun
CTV News
30-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Meet the Team Manitoba athletes heading to the 2025 Canada Summer Games
Athletes from around the province are gearing up to represent Manitoba on the national stage. Team Manitoba's 374 athletes are heading to Newfoundland and Labrador to compete in the 2025 Canada Summer Games in August. The provincial team has athletes participating in all 19 sports offered at the competition, which takes place every four years. 'We're maybe not up there in terms of medal count with some of the bigger provinces, but we certainly are competing in every single event,' Drew Todd, Team Manitoba's chef de mission, told CTV News. Luke Enns, a 19-year-old canoe kayaker from Winnipeg, was introduced as Team Manitoba's flag bearer for the opening ceremony during a news conference Tuesday. This will be Enns' third time representing Manitoba in national competition. He won two bronze medals at the 2022 Summer Games and competed in the 2023 Canada Winter Games in biathlon. 'I wasn't expecting this, but it's pretty cool to represent Team Manitoba in this way,' Enns said in a release. 'It's pretty amazing [at a Canada Games] to see what can happen when you put your mind to it. There's always an opportunity to do really well, and if you don't end up exactly where you want to be, you're still at the Canada Games.' Todd said there are athletes from all parts of the province competing, including some displaced by wildfires. He said several members of the provincial softball team are from Cross Lake (Pimicikamak Cree Nation). The northern community was evacuated due to the wildfire threat in late May, though residents were allowed to return home a couple of weeks later. 'They're still doing everything they can to put a team in place and compete and practice ahead of time. So it's a pretty inspiring story to see what they had to go through and the commitment that they still have to the team and getting on that plane in a couple weeks.' The 2025 Canada Summer Games run August 8-25 in St. John's.
