Local wins gold at Special Olympics competition

By Janet Kanters Times Editor

Twenty-one-year-old McKenna Husband is a gold medalist after placing first in a figure skating competition during the Special Olympics Alberta Winter Games Calgary 2019.
Husband, from Strathmore, received gold in the Level 1 Free Skate competition.
“I’ve been figure skating since I was six or seven,” says Husband. “And this is my first gold at provincials.”
Husband started skating with the Gleichen Skating Club, but at the age of 10, her family moved to Strathmore and she joined Calgary Special Olympics where she has since honed her talents on the ice.
Getting to the provincials is no easy feat. Husband trains once a week at the Calgary Olympic Oval between October and March. She also swims at SAIT and participates in track and field competitions in Edmonton and Ponoka.
So, what’s next for the star skater?
“We’re going to wait and see what my results are because we’re not sure if I’ve made enough points for me to be qualified for nationals,” said Husband.
Her mom, LeeAnn Praud, added they’re not quite sure when they’ll hear about next steps.
“McKenna is still training, and then she’s going with the Special Olympics skating team to a competition in Airdrie in March,” she said.