More than 350 New Brunswick athletes are in Newfoundland and Labrador.
They are among thousands from across the country taking part in the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s.
Nicole Smith, the chef de mission for Team New Brunswick, said it is one of the largest delegations they have ever had for the Summer Games.
“I think part of it is certainly the change in some sports,” Smith said in a recent interview with our newsroom.
“At these Games, we have women’s baseball for the first time and then rugby sevens for men. We had rugby sevens for women at the last summer games, but they’ve added the men.”
New Brunswick’s 355 athletes are supported by just over 100 coaches, managers, technical staff and mission team members.
A total of 26 teams are competing in artistic swimming, athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, box lacrosse, canoe kayak, cycling (road and mountain bike), golf, rugby sevens, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.
Smith, who is marking her fifth consecutive Games as chef de mission, said this is a great stepping stone for the athletes.
“It gives them the opportunity to test themselves out in a national environment,” she said.
“Most of them have probably competed at a national environment, but this is a multi-sport game, so it just gives them that other look at sports.”
The Canada Games are a national multi-sport event featuring participants from every province and territory.
Held every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Games bring together about 5,000 athletes, coaches and managers to compete at the highest level in amateur sport.
The 2025 Canada Summer Games begin on Friday and continue until Aug. 25.
