Over a loudspeaker at St. Francis School in Whitehorse, the three medal winners in the U17 women's knee jump were announced.
When 16-year-old Randi Zeeb Sigurdsen from Ikerasak heard her own name in 1st place, she looked up in shock. Shortly after, the young athlete was jumping around and hugging a teammate.
- I thought: What? I couldn't believe it, because I've never won anything in knee jump before, and I really wanted to win something. And then I achieved it, and I was so surprised, she tells Sermitsiaq afterwards.
Knee jump is a discipline in Arctic Sport where athletes kneel on the floor, and then they have to jump up and as far forward as possible, maintaining their balance when they land. To judge who has won, their jumps are measured.
Randi Zeeb Sigurdsen, however, only focused on herself during the competition.
- I tried to stay calm and push myself. That is the main goal – to push myself. Even though I am not really in the best shape, I feel fantastic, she says.
Back problems ruined technique
This is the third time that Randi Zeeb Sigurdsen has participated in AWG. The young athlete is a talent within Arctic Sport, especially in the various high-kick disciplines.
On Monday, she competed in the two-foot high kick, a discipline she has previously mastered and holds the U17 women's record of 190.5 centimeters from 2024.
But that's not how it went on Monday. She finished in 8th place with a kick of 177.8 centimeters. She actually started really well and showed good technique, but had a clear backache during the last parts of the competition.
- It's actually been going pretty well, but the back pain just ruined my technique. I was disappointed and upset about my placement. I've accepted it, it's just back problems. I'll do more in the future, she says.
Randi Zeeb Sigurdsen still has more competitions coming up this week, where her plan is to push herself. She's also looking forward to seeing her teammates achieve their dreams.
