Airdrie teen Emily Vigneault punches her way to Canada Winter Games boxing gold medal

Now back at her home gym in Airdrie, Alta. Emily Vigneault still can't quite believe she's a gold medallist.

She took the podium in the women's boxing 60 kilogram division of the Canada Winter Games, one of the largest multi-sport events in the country, in P.E.I. earlier in March. 

Standing up there, with the medal around her neck, she said there was nothing like it.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh, there's so many people.' And I was really happy to be there. And I worked really hard to get to that spot, just that moment. I've been working months just to get there," she said.

It's a huge accomplishment considering Vigneault, 16, only started boxing about three years ago.

She's also the inaugural winner in the division, with women's boxing only being introduced into the event this year. 

"I felt so happy inside, not just because I won, but I was able to represent woman and show others that it's OK for them to move forward, for them to do any sports, even if it's like judo or boxing or karate or whatever it is, they are able to do it no matter what."

Lucas George, head coach at Humble Boxing Academy, said the competition marked one of the first big events for an athlete from his gym. 

He said he felt nerves from the moment she was selected to take part.

"She's going in there relying on me, what I'm teaching her, what I'm giving her, the time I'm putting in," he said. 

"So it was a roller coaster for sure for the both of us. But it was a lot of fun and I'm so proud of her and all the work that she's put into it and her accomplishment. She came home with gold. That's amazing."

Vigneault has been practicing different martial arts, especially Muay Thai, since six-years-old.

She started to boxing to improve her head movements and