Women's Hockey Player to Carry Flag

Hockey player Tara French of Truro will lead Team Nova Scotia into the closing ceremonies of the 2003 Canada Winter Games.

A straight-A student at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, Ms. French has been playing hockey for 10 years. She's been a member of Nova Scotia's provincial women's hockey team for four years.

"So many of our athletes have done so well, achieving personal bests and raising the ranking of their sports at the Games," said Ms. French. "It's an honour to be chosen as flag bearer from this team of talented people."

The women's hockey team is playing its last game of the week today, March 7. The team is playing British Columbia for fifth place.

Earlier this week, Nova Scotia defeated Alberta for the first time ever at the Games. The team would have advanced to the medal round if it weren't for a tie that allowed Manitoba to advance instead.

"We're coping with the disappointment and we'll show everyone tonight how we can bounce back," said Ms. French.

Nova Scotia is ending its second week at the Canada Games with eight medals. Three went to figure skating. Special Olympics' athlete James Blood of St. Croix won a gold medal for his solo performance. Bronze medals were also awarded to Lars Anderson of Halifax in the men's competition and to ice dancers Britney Gennette of Dartmouth and Joseph Scott of West Porters Lake.

Cassaundra Hawley of Port Hood captured a silver in judo. Shooter Sarah Ackermann won Nova Scotia's first medal with a bronze in women's air pistol. Boxers Brandon Snow of Pictou and Alonzo Johnson of Dartmouth won bronze. Ryan White of Kennetcook will fight in the gold medal round tonight.

Participants in the National Artists Program, which is part of the Games, gave the first of two gala performances Thursday night. Colin Grant of Sydney, Angela MacDonald of Glace Bay, Kaleigh Heide of Mahone Bay and Samantha Brooksbank of Lower Sackville are among 52 young Canadians in the program. They will perform again tonight.

Team Nova Scotia competed in 18 of the 21 sports represented during the two weeks of the Games from Feb. 22 to March 8. The team has 284 athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff.

Team Nova Scotia is funded by the Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Commission, a division of the Office of Health Promotion. Team Nova Scotia sponsors include Avis, Spring Rain, ATV and Aliant. The Atlantic Lottery Corporation sponsors Team Atlantic -- supporting all teams from Atlantic Canada for the 2003 Games.

For more information on Team Nova Scotia and its sponsors, visit the Web site at http://winter2003.ns.canadagames.ca .