344 athletes, representing 73 Alberta communities are getting ready for the opening ceremonies this morning, for the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.

One of those athletes is Lacombe's own Ethan Palamarek, who will be competing in three different cycling events.

Palamerk describes the different of events he will participate in.

“The first is the road race, which is a 120km race, with a big group of a whole bunch of other people from all around Canada. The next event will be the individual time trial, which is I think 30km, individual circuit, and you compete to put the fastest time down by yourself at that course. And the final race is the criterium, which is like a road race, but it’s very short, only about an hour long, and covers maybe 40 or 50 k, depending on how hard people are pushing.”

Another athlete is Crystal Watson from Blackfalds, and is at the games as a manager for the Alberta golf team. 

Watson has a bachelor’s of kinesiology, and eventually got a job as a strength and condition coach at the Edge School For Athletes.

It was in that role, where she started working with golfers, and was eventually asked to be part of the Alberta Golf team.

“When I go on the road with then, I can help them with their nutritional planning, we do stretching sessions in the evening, as well as dynamic warm up before they start swinging the clubs for their golf specific warm up. So I look to support the athlete, to help them kind of develop the skills and habits that are going to help them be successful in the long term, not necessarily with their golf game, but other healthy habits they can create as well.”

 Also at the games representing Lacombe is Rachel Hyink, who will participate in the pole vault event. 

The 2017 Canada Summer games go from July 28th until August 13th.