Boxer to Lead N.S. Into Closing Ceremonies

Brody Blair of Lyon's Brook, Pictou Co., will lead Team Nova Scotia into the closing ceremonies of the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Brody, a member of the boxing team, captured a bronze medal in the 64 kilogram category. At 15, he was the youngest boxer competing in Whitehorse.

"This is a great honour," said Brody. "This has been the best trip I've ever been on -- an all around wicked experience. I am proud of myself and my team, and I'm thankful to my coaches for nominating me."

The boxing team hauled in four medals for Team Nova Scotia, the most recent coming Friday evening -- a silver, to Cameron Howatt of Windsor, in the 81 kilogram category.

Also, gymnast Liam Hawkins of Fall River came through late Friday with a bronze medal in vault.

Nova Scotia's medal count is as follows:

• Matthew Vaughan, Halifax, Judo, silver
• Alexandra Duckworth, Kingsburg, Snowboarding (demo), gold
• Shyanne Dolliver, Dartmouth, Special Olympics Figure Skating, silver
• Liam Hawkins, Fall River, bronze
• Brody Blair, Lyon's Brook, Pictou Co., Boxing, bronze
• Sonny McLellan, Berwick, Boxing, bronze
• Michael Gerrow, Sydney Mines, Boxing, bronze
• Cameron Howatt, Windsor, Boxing, silver

Chef de Mission Susan Beazley applauded Nova Scotia's athletes, artists, coaches, managers and mission staff.

"This has been the experience of a lifetime for Team Nova Scotia. We had a strong second week and I am proud of our entire team. I hope all our participants look back fondly on this experience and use it as a stepping stone to their future goals."

Participants in the National Artists Program, which runs alongside the Games, gave gala performances Thursday and Friday night. Michael Cleutt of Halifax, Aaron MacLean of St. Margaret's Bay, and Lisa Snow of Fall River are among the young Canadians in the program.

For more results, visit the team's website at http://ns.canadagames.ca .

Team Nova Scotia 2007 has 290 members -- 213 athletes, 36 coaches, 23 managers, three artists and 15 mission staff.

The Canada Games is the country's largest amateur multi-sport event. More than 3,600 athletes, coaches and managers are gathering in Whitehorse to compete for 1,122 medals in 22 sports from Feb. 23 to March 10.