2014 PEI Junior Athlete of the Year finalist and short track speed skater, Carly Connell, has been selected to carry the Prince Edward Island flag during the 2015 Canada Winter Games opening ceremony in Prince George, British Columbia.
A strong competitor considered among the best in short track speed skating in Atlantic Canada, Connell qualified and competed at the Canadian Junior Short Track Championships this January – an event held for the top 32 junior skaters in the country. She is the first short track speed skater from Prince Edward Island to qualify for this national event.
Her prowess as a speed skater helped her set and re-set provincial short track records for junior women in the 500m distance, as well as holding the intermediate women’s records for 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances. As a result of her ongoing accomplishments, she was named Speed Skate PEI’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2013.
“I am both humbled and honoured to be chosen as the flag-bearer for Team PEI,” said Connell. “I am really looking forward to representing our province on the ice and cheering on my fellow athletes during the Games.”
In addition to her career in speed skating, Connell is also an accomplished soccer and hockey player. She is a member of the Hillsborough United U16 girls’ provincial championship team, scoring both goals for her team in the final. In 2014, she was named PEI Soccer Association’s Junior Female Player of the Year. She also helped her Central Storm Midget AAA hockey team win the Early Bird Minor Hockey Tournament in 2014.
Carly is the 16-year-old daughter of Judy and Wayne Connell of Charlottetown. A senior at Charlottetown Rural High School, Carly is a well-rounded and talented honour student.
The Opening Ceremony for the Games will take place at the CN Centre on February 13 at 6 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on TSN2.
For more information on Team PEI, including team athlete profiles, competition schedule and latest results from the Games, visit www.teampei.ca.