The following athletes have been nominated for the Sask Sport Inc. August Athlete of the Month Award:

• Rachael Edwards, 17, Saskatoon. Edwards is ranked second in Canada after two outstanding finishes at junior triathlon events in August. Throughout the summer, she has competed in the Tech Cominco National Junior Triathlon Race Series. The last two races in the series were held in August, the first of which was the 2009 Canada Games Test race in P.E.I., where Edwards placed second out of 22 competitors. At the final race in the series, the National Junior Championships in Kelowna, she placed fifth out of 34 competitors. Due to her achievements, Edwards qualified to compete in the Pan American Triathlon Competition in May 2009 and the Canada Summer Games in August 2009. She was nominated by the Saskatchewan Triathlon Association.

• Megan Gibson, 16, Regina. Gibson competed as an individual and a crew member in team boat events at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She captured gold in K-1 1000m and the K-1 500m, and silver in K-1 200m. Twenty-seven competitors participated in each event. Gibson also won bronze in the team boat event C-15 - 500m and placed fourth in the midget women's K-4 event. At the championships, 1,257 athletes participated from eight provinces and 39 clubs. Due to her achievements, Gibson is a likely candidate for nomination to the Junior National Development Team and will be given the opportunity to represent Canada at the Junior International Regatta in Moscow this month. She was nominated by Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan.

• Aaron Misponas, 25, Pinehouse. Misponas competed in five Special Olympics athletic events at the 2008 Saskatchewan Summer Games and captured a gold medal in each: 100m, 200m, 400m, long jump, and shot put. Five-to-seven athletes participated in Misponas' events. He was nominated by Special Olympics Saskatchewan.

The recipient will be named next week. For more information contact Pat Rediger at (306) 780-9307 or email prediger@sasksport.sk.ca

For information regarding the Athlete of the Month Awards program, including previous nominees and recipients, visit www.sasksport.sk.ca/awards.php

September 11, 2008