More than a hundred enthusiastic young athletes from Estrie have made their way to Rivière-du-Loup for the 56th Quebec Games Finals, which will open with a grand opening ceremony on Friday evening.
“We are excited, we can hardly wait. We’ve been seriously waiting for this for a long time,” posted a fencer at TVA Nouvelles on Friday morning as the excitement was felt everywhere.
It will be a life changing experience for these young people. Estrie athletes will compete in seven disciplines in the first block of the Games. They hope for medals.
“It’s an unforgettable experience,” said one hockey player.
The heads of delegation have been in Rivières-du-Loup for two days to prepare for the arrival of the athletes. During the day on Friday, the missionary team prepared dormitories for the delegation, who will be staying at an elementary school in the host city.
“We are ready to welcome them. The gang here in Rivière-du-Loup is a charm. They are super nice, they can’t wait,” said Estrie delegation leader Chantale Bouchard.
The buses filled with feverish youth arrived at the site in the afternoon and the opening ceremony, scheduled to begin at 7pm, took place.
“It seems the ceremony will really be something to behold. There will be a circus, we will parade as the Estrie region, we will enter the Premier Tech Center, which is already full,” the manager also said.
The competitions start on Saturday and the athletes will have a lot of support in the stands. Several parents present at the departure of the buses assure that they will go there to give live encouragement to their children from the competitions.
The first block of the Quebec Games ends on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the hundred or so other athletes of the Estrie delegation will be in Rivière-du-Loup for the second block of competition until the closing ceremony on March 11th.