Rivière-du-Loup has been waiting for this moment for a very long time and the organizers pulled out all the stops. Drumming, juggling, acrobatics and aerobatics opened the celebrations of the 56the Quebec Games finals during the opening ceremony originally scheduled for 2021.
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The roughly 4,000 athletes and supporters first entered the noisy Premier Tech Center as heroes.
Already you could feel the excitement and the group spirit that inspired the youngsters. It was their moment, a small replica of what they usually see on TV during the Olympics.
The Mayor of Rivière-du-Loup Mario Bastille was the first to speak.
“Finally we meet again,” he exclaimed to the applause of an insane crowd.
The flame
After a few speeches, Serge Chouinard, who carried the torch at the first Quebec Games in 1971, passed the transition between the past and the present by passing the flame to a young athlete from Rivière-du-Loup in badminton, Amélia St-Pierre .
“It’s a great honor, it’s the sequel. It was stressful at first, but once you do it, it’s beautiful, wow!” commented the 14-year-old.
It was then that Yannick Gagnon, the right-hand man of the Minister responsible for Sports, Recreation and Outdoors, officially declared the 56th final of the Quebec Games open.
Then the performers of Cirque de la Pointe Sèche – led by Élyme Gilbert, who worked for Cirque du Soleil for 10 years – stole the show.
The acrobatics on the bike and the aerobatics performed by three artists on the trampoline particularly impressed the athletes, as the artistic aspect was perfectly combined with the sporting performances.
Legal on site
A few hours before the opening ceremony, Prime Minister François Legault honored the young people with his presence.
He took the opportunity to greet the athletes and go for a walk with the Lanaudière delegation that had just arrived at the Rivière-du-Loup high school.
Mr. Legault also attended a private cocktail with the 56th Quebec Games Finals dignitaries before returning to the streets for other commitments.
This afternoon, the main outdoor area where shows will be held during the Games was still teeming with volunteers making the final preparations.
The mayor of Rivière-du-Loup, Mario Bastille, who had just spoken at a press conference to mark the opening of the games, quickly removed his mayor’s hat to don a volunteer’s and carry some refreshments.
beginning of the competitions
Starting tomorrow, the athletes of the first competition block will be on the program in ten disciplines. The gymnasts at Premier Tech Stadium will be the first to step onto the floor at 7:50am.
The first few days of competition will feature a number of athletes, including Sherbrooke’s Raphaëlle Perreault, who will be competing at the Quebec Games for the third time.
The 17-year-old athlete finished fourth at the last Canadian Championships.
Arielle Côté from Chaudière-Appalaches is already attracting attention in women’s hockey. The goaltender was the first girl in history recruited to the Corsairs’ hockey program at École Pointe-Lévy.
She’s still the only girl on the team she’s been on for four years.
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