Hard work and dedication helped earn Sebastian Gylander, age 20, an opportunity to compete with Special Olympics Team Canada at the 2025 World Winter Games in Italy in March.
Gylander was given a Certificate of Honour by Mayor Ron Oszust on Feb. 18 during Town of Golden’s Town Council Meeting to honour his achievements in Nordic Skate Skiing and in recognition of his representing his community and country at the Special Olympics World Winter Games (SOWWG) in Italy in March.
The Town of Golden Council Chamber chairs were filled with Gylander’s coaches, family, friends and fellow co-athletes who joined to watch as Mayor Oszust gave Gylander a plaque, pin and letter of congratulations for qualifying for the SOWWG. Jeff Dolinsky, one of Gylander’s many coaches who have helped him in his skate-skiing career, acknowledged Gylander’s hard work, determination and growth as an athlete during the meeting.
“This is a great delegation,” Dolinsky said as he shared the story of coming out of retirement as a Nordic Ski Coach six years ago to help Gylander along.
“His enthusiasm brought me out of retirement as a coach,” Dolinsky said, adding with a smile, “I was overwhelmed by his enthusiasm.”
Dolinsky said Gylander has earned his way to the SOWWG through hard work and dedicated training and acknowledged as Gylander increases in skill level, Dolinsky, himself is “aging out” as a coach and acknowledges, that new coach Seth Conlin will continue to work with Gylander as he progresses and increases his skills.
Gylander’s journey as a young skier out with family friends to becoming a Special Olympics National Champion, Gold Medalist in Skate Skiing and going to the World Games in Italy in a few weeks is filled with hard work, determination, and an overall spirit of confidence and fun. He began his career as a Special Olympics Golden athlete at age eight and has had many helping hands along the way. Dona says Gylander has had many coaches over the years, including, Sue Rowe, Lynda and Steven Conway, Mathew Zaleski and Seth Conlin.
Family friends, neighbour’s, Caren and Mark Nagao began taking Gylander skiing when he was four-year’s old. His Mom, Dona, and Dad, Greg, were grateful to the Nagao’s for their help and interest in taking Gylander skiing.
“Greg and I never really skied, and the Nagao family took him out as a way to help us out,” Dona says. Caren says, watching the “determination” shown by Gylander over the years to learn to ski and his “enthusiasm” for the sport, from downhill to Nordic, is the “dedication he needs as an Olympian.”
“It has been pretty incredible, seeing him gain those skills right from the beginning. Not just becoming competent but excelling! The skills he’s acquired are unbelievable. I’m honoured to be a part of it,” Caren says.
Gylander says he is “excited” about “getting to Italy and going to the Alps.”
“I’m going to win,” he says confidently.
Gylander has over 30 medals hung by skis in his apartment at his Parent’s home in Golden, B.C. Medals, including two gold and one silver from the 2024 National Special Olympics Games in Calgary; and two gold, one silver, and one bronze medals from his first National Games in Thunder Bay, Ontario in 2019, where Gylander says he coined the phrase, “I brought the thunder to Thunder Bay” in celebration of his wins.
Going for the gold will be a big part of the purpose of his ski adventures to Italy in March, Gylander is planning to “bring home a medal” from this trip.
Caren describes her experience on adventures with Gylander, including full-moon skis and seeing the ocean for the first time. She says, “he is not afraid to show his enthusiasm for life. That’s all something we can learn from him.”
