For a pair of best friends, it was a worthwhile time at the North American Indigenous Games.
Keston Gerard and Josh Jackson teamed up to take home a silver medal in the U19 Male Badminton Doubles, before facing each other in the final match of U19 Male Singles bracket.
Jackson, who is originally from Cumberland House but calls Sturgeon Lake First Nation home says it was a special experience to win a medal alongside a good friend of his in Gerard.
“We both grew up playing badminton together in the same school, and we have been best friends since Grade 1. So, we have a real close relationship with each other, and we understand how to play together.”
Jackson and Gerard would face off with Manitoba’s Evan Hancock and Dwayne Oman in the final. They took the first set 21-14, before falling in the second and third sets 21-19.
Gerard would defeat Jackson in two consecutive sets to take the gold medal in singles. Jackson says the final was business as usual between the two friends.
“It was awesome. It was an accomplishment me and him and wanted to achieve together. So, we both achieved what we wanted, and we both ended up in the finals for singles and then we ended up in finals for doubles.”
