Kitigan Zibi athletes honoured at national gala for contributions to sport

Whether it was minus 20 or a hot sunny day in Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg, Mercedes "Gogo" Côté would spend her childhood running to school — the start of her already-storied sports career. 

The 21-year-old was born and raised in the Indigenous community in western Quebec, infatuated with any sport — from hockey to track and field — she could get her hands on.

Now, she's one of the recipients of the Tom Longboat Award, the longest-standing and one of the most prestigious awards for Indigenous athletes in Canada.

She and another woman from the area, Victoria Marchand, were honoured Saturday night for their exemplary work and contributions to sport at the National Indigenous Sports Gala in Ottawa.

"It's very special and very significant," Côté said. "Being born and raised in a First Nations community, all the dedication and all the work I put in over my career, like, it's very special to be recognized for that.

"I think for young athletes coming up, being able to see [that] someone who was born and raised in the community can do great things — I think that's very important to me," she added. 

Mercedes 'Gogo' Côté (left) and Victoria Marchand (right), who are both from Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg, pose with the awards they received at the National Indigenous Sports Gala on Saturday evening. (Provided by Mercedes Côté and Victoria Marchand)

Côté was nicknamed "Gogo" before she was even born, as her mother was "always on the go" — a name that quickly became fitting, with all of Côté's extra-curriculars. 

She began playing minor hockey in the neighbouring town of Maniwaki, then years later started playing Midget AAA girls hockey for the Gatineau Intrepide Féminin, where says she was the team's first Indigenous captain. 

She's