Athletes from the far north make the long trek to Tony Cote First Nation Summer Games

Elissa Isadore couldn't stop smiling after winning a medal in athletics at the Tony Cote First Nations Summer Games.

Isadore, 14, is one of thousands of young athletes from across Saskatchewan competing in events being held in Saskatoon and Whitecap Dakota First Nations this week.

However, her journey to the Games was like a marathon on its own.

Isadore lives in Fond du Lac, an isolated community on Lake Athabasca, about 800 kilometres as the crow flies from Saskatoon. It's closer to the border of the Northwest Territories than the town of La Ronge.

Instead of a smooth and direct highway ride, her team had to take a barge or boat to Stony Rapids before starting the long drive to Saskatoon — more than 1,000 kilometres on the road, according to Google Maps.

"It's, like, really bumpy," Isadore said. "Lots of hills and it made me feel carsick."

The young athlete, who just moved to Fond du Lac from Prince Albert this year, says she misses her family, but considers representing her community at the Games a great honour.

"It feels so awesome," she said. "I never thought I was going to be here."

Seeing Isadore and other athletes from Fond du Lac shine at the Games is an exciting experience for Colleen Whitedeer, Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation councillor.

Over the last couple of months, Whitedeer says, she has been training Isadore and other girls from the community in track and soccer, as well as pushing the kids to come out for the Games' try-out events.

"It's so heartwarming to see [them all] interact, laughing and just sharing these memories,"Whitedeer said.

"I'm getting a little emotional because, you know, they came out in the opening ceremonies, and there's that rush walking out into the stadium with the athletes."

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