By Ewa Chwojko-Srawley
Georgina’s athletes continue to make us proud, achieving success on the provincial, national and world stage.
Despite a bitter defeat in the Olympic women’s hockey final, Keswick native Erin Ambrose and her teammates gave it their all, epitomizing the Olympic spirit, and bringing home a silver-medal from the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
“That was a page short of an unbelievable chapter,” Ambrose told TSN after the overtime 2-1 loss to Team USA. “We were right there. We had it. There was so much belief in our dressing room that never wavered, and I’m just so proud of all of us as a group.”
A 2022 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, this was Ambrose’s second Olympics. Ambrose, who grew up playing for the Georgina Blaze, said: “We need to show young females how life-changing sports can be, not just hockey, but any athletic sport.”
Girls’ hockey registration in Georgina has certainly increased since her success in the Olympics. More girls are signing up after seeing female athletes, like Ambrose, compete on the world’s biggest stage.
It’s also been a remarkable winter for Keswick brothers Bryden and Delwin Jerard, who are once again making headlines in jiu-jitsu.
At the February qualifier for the 2026 Canadian Nationals, both earned their spots to represent Canada at the JJIF World Championships in Dubai this August — marking the third straight year they’ve made the national team (Greece 2024, Thailand 2025, Dubai 2026).
Bryden captured silver in the U18 division, while Delwin brought home gold in the U16.
They say, “We think our key to success is being consistent, training hard every day, and having strong support from our parents.”
When it’s time to step onto the mat, they agree: the goal is to give everything they have, push 100 percent, and keep a never-give-up mindset focused on gold.
Next up, the brothers are preparing for the 2026 Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Kissimmee, Florida, in March.
Meanwhile, for Liam Murphy, Sutton Curling Club junior alumni, congratulations are also in order.
He won silver at the 2026 OCAA Provincials. Competing with only three players and no alternate, the Humber men’s team showed grit — and Liam earned Second Team All-Star honours in his first year as lead.
To top that off, Liam, representing the Humber Hawks, won the CCAA-ACSC National Championships in Regina this past week.
Whether it’s jiu-jitsu, hockey, or curling, Georgina’s athletes show that hard work and hometown support go a long way.
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