Every two years, the best young athletes from across Manitoba come together, united under one banner: Team Manitoba. Alongside their coaches and volunteer mission staff, they compete at the Canada Games — the biggest multi-sport event in the country.

For two unforgettable weeks, the Herd charges into action. They chase medals, break records, and build friendships that last a lifetime. 

And when the Games end? For some, it’s just the beginning.

Many of these competitors carry their Canada Games experience forward when they step onto national teams, international podiums, and even the Olympic stage. They’re trailblazers who once wore the black and yellow with pride and now inspire the next generation to dream even bigger.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Cindy Klassen

One of Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympians, Klassen is the first Canadian to win five medals in one Olympic Games (2006). She’s a World Champion who has been inducted into the Order of Manitoba, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, Canada Games Hall of Honour, and Canada’s Walk of Fame.

She competed for Team Manitoba at three Canada Games (1995, 1999, 2001) in three different sports (hockey, speed skating, cycling). She earned a bronze medal in the 3000m in her Olympic debut at Salt Lake City 2002 - just one year after her final Canada Games appearance. 

In 2019, Klassen returned to the Canada Games as Team Manitoba’s speed skating coach.

Tyson Langelaar

Langelaar competed in the 2015 and 2019 Canada Winter Games in Men's Long Track Speed Skating. In 2019, he took home an impressive four Gold medals in the Men's 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and Mass Start, along with one Silver medal in the 5000m.

He went on to place at the Canadian and World Junior Championships, as well as Junior and World Cups. Langelaar made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 where he competed in the 1500m and was part of Canada’s fifth-place finish in the team pursuit. 

Langelaar is fresh off a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Canadian Championships and has his sights on competing for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

Kaitlyn Lawes

At 14, Lawes competed in the 2003 Canada Winter Games. In 2015, she returned to the Team as an Honourary Captain. 

She won back-to-back Canadian junior titles as a skip in 2008 and 2009.  In 2010, she joined the team skipped by Jennifer Jones. They went on to win six Manitoba provincial titles, place at several Tournament of Hearts, national, and world championships, and Lawes was an all-star third at the Tournament of Hearts in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016.

She’s a three-time Olympian. In her first Olympic Games appearance, she won an Olympic gold medal as part of the first women’s team to ever go undefeated through the Games (11-0). Lawes was the top third in the tournament.

At PyeongChang 2018, she teamed with John Morris to win gold in the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles curling tournament.

Joey Johnson

Johnson competed in the 1995 Canada Winter Games in wheelchair basketball. The team placed fifth, and later that year, he began his career with Team Canada. 

In two decades with the national team, Johnson has competed in five Paralympic Games, capturing back-to-back gold medals in 2000 and 2004, a silver medal in 2008, and a third gold medal in 2012. He won more gold medals at the 2006 World Championships and the 1997 Junior World Championships. He represented Manitoba at the club level and with the provincial team for 19 consecutive years.

In 2023, Joey returned to the Canada Games as one of the coaches of Team Manitoba’s wheelchair basketball team. 

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Stay tuned for alumni features here in our newsfeed, and for the launch of Team Manitoba’s alumni webpage. 

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Alumni Update‍

Are you a Team Manitoba alumnus? If you have a career update, milestone, photo from your Canada Games experience or anything else we can add to your profile, fill out this form to share it with us.

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Team Manitoba, a program of Sport Manitoba, prepares our province's athletes, coaches, and managers to shine on the national stage.

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