A young Saskatoon athlete has been selected to lead Team Saskatchewan into the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

Seventeen-year-old Luca Veeman will be the flag bearer in Charlottetown Prince Edward Island on Saturday, February 18th. Veeman has been competing since he was 6 years old, and he has many accomplishments to show for it. He has received numerous club awards for most outstanding skater as well as most personal bests. He has a spot on the Speed Skating Saskatchewan Development and Provincial Team in both short and long track speed skating.

Back in October, Veeman was accepted to train in Calgary at the National Training Centre at the Olympic Oval. Last year, Veeman had qualified to go to Poland with the Canadian Junior National Team in long track speed skating, however pandemic restrictions prevented Canada from sending any athletes. The athlete is currently ranked in the top 3 in Canada for junior speed skaters, and this January, he won bronze in the 1500m and silver in the 5000m at the Canadian Junior Speed Skating Championships, allowing him to race in Germany for the Canadian Junior National Team. In his off-season Veeman picked up cycling, and he is now a nationally ranked cyclist, and traveled to the 2022 Canada Summer Games to compete in Niagra Falls Ontario. In Prince Edward Island, Veeman will be taking part in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, mass start, and team pursuit events.