AWG 2026: NWT adds at least a dozen gold ulus on Thursday

Team NT captured an impressive haul of gold ulus at Whitehorse 2026 on Thursday in sports ranging from finger pull to ski biathlon.

Arctic Sports veterans James Williams and Veronica MacDonald won Arctic Winter Games gold in kneel jump and arm pull respectively, while Abigail Arey continued a dominant week in Dene Games by adding both finger pull and all-around female U18 gold. Hans Arey won the male U18 all-around title.

In gymnastics, Araliya Fox won vault and floor gold while Malia Williams recovered spectacularly from a fall on uneven bars during Tuesday’s team event to win gold on the apparatus on Thursday.

“I needed to take a big, deep breath,” she said of beginning her bars routine after the earlier mishap. “It means a lot to me just bringing gold home to the Northwest Territories and I’m really proud of myself.”

Fox said she was “really happy about the whole competition,” noting this is her first-ever floor medal.

In speed skating, Lindsey Stipdonk set another record and won another title in the U15 female 500m category.

Stipdonk, who just turned 13, described drafting behind a rival then passing the leader with two or three laps to go. “Then I just went as hard as I could.”

She paid tribute to her dad, Chris, who set a knuckle hop world and Arctic Winter Games record in knuckle hop this week.

“He’s so proud of me. He gives me so much praise. He’s my mentor so much, I love him,” she said.

Yuma McEachern won the male equivalent of Stipdonk’s title for Team NT, while Peter Mahon took 777m gold in the U19 male class.

In ski biathlon, Jaxin Coombs continued an impressive week with gold in the five-kilometre U15 male mass start.

U18 hockey wins bronze

Elsewhere, Team NT’s figure skaters won bronze in their team competition, marking a fourth ulu of the week for Aven Ohokannoak.

Mandie Miersch-King and Marlin Miersch-King each took finger pull silver in Dene Games, with Marlin adding second place in the all-around contest.

Russell MacKay and Seiya McEachern each picked up speed skating silver.

Logan Doll took a snowshoe biathlon bronze and there were also third-place finishes for gymnast Fox in the all-around, Kobe White in snowboarding’s overall category, and speed skater Kara Nelson.

The effect of Thursday’s surge in ulus is to lift Team NT above Alberta North in the medal standings in terms of golds won – the global standard. The NWT has 29, behind Alaska (58) and Yukon (43) but above Alberta North (24).

In North America, the overall total is often the preferred means of ordering medal standings. Counting silver and bronze ulus, the NWT is fourth on 65 behind Alaska (172), Yukon (129) and Alberta North (85). Some results were still coming in late on Thursday evening.

In team sports, the NWT reached the U18 male futsal final against Yukon after a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Alaska in Thursday’s semi-final. The final kicks off at 6pm local time on Friday.

Team NT will also play for gold in both male and female basketball on Friday afternoon, facing Alberta North in each tie.

Hockey’s U18 male team took bronze, beating Nunavut 10-5.

“It was unreal to get that last win,” said captain Blake Rose.

“That’s our last game representing the NWT, so it was huge. It’s tough that we didn’t get into the gold-medal game, but to come back and win that last game as a team was awesome.”

Correction: March 13, 2026 – 8:26 MT. This article initially stated team bronze was Aven Ohokannoak’s third ulu of the week. It’s actually her fourth.