Okanagan players win gold at women’s U18 world hockey championship

The women’s U-18 hockey championship wrapped up on Sunday, with Team Canada taking gold over Sweden.

Among the champions are three Okanagan players, who returned home Tuesday afternoon with a new piece of hardware around their necks.

The world champions were met with cheers, hugs and flowers from their loved ones as they arrived back in the Okanagan from Sweden.

“It was amazing, I think the experience is once in a lifetime and I couldn’t imagine anything better,” said Gracie Graham who plays defence for Team Canada.

1:54 Team Canada fans erupt in cheers after World Juniors gold medal win

Gracie Graham, Farah Walker and Maya Serdachny played for Team Canada at the IIHF hockey U18 women’s world championship this past week.

Graham and Serdachny play for RINK Hockey Academy and Walker plays for Okanagan Hockey Academy, and all were chosen to represent their country.

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“It’s been amazing. It was such an unreal experience getting to travel basically across the world. I think it’s everything a little kid that plays hockey dreams about,” said Team Canada goaltender Farah Walker.

Team Canada won their second consecutive gold on Sunday, with a 10-0 win over the host team Sweden. However, the players say the tournament meant more than just bringing home new hardware.

“Of course, we wanted to win gold but I feel like just the experience of just being there with all the amazing coaches, amazing players and having the chance to be in that competition is really the big win,” Graham said.

The girls were honoured to represent Canada on the world stage and said it felt like a dream come true.

“I think ever since I was young and I found out that females can actually play at this high level, it’s always been an aspiration of mine,” said Walker.

“Being able to fulfil it even like girls my age still want to do, I think it’s just amazing just to be a role model for that group of people.”

Both players say they will take this experience and the connections they made with them for the rest of their hockey journey.

“I feel like I made so many new friends from all over Canada and I mean I’m always going to see them in different hockey tournaments, so I’m really excited for that,” said Graham.