Meet Team PEI 2026 Swimming

June 01, 2026

This August, Team PEI will be represented by 46 athletes and 25 coaches and mission staff at the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Athletes will be competing in 8 sports - Athletics, Basketball, Bocce, Golf, Powerlifting, Soccer, Softball and Swimming. Team PEI 2026 Swimming is made up of 3 athletes, supported by 1 Head Coach.

Athletes: Sarah Halman, Matthew Gallant, Ellen MacNearney

Head Coach: Taliena Howden (not pictured)

Taliena Howden answered a call for volunteers three years, and started helping out with the Charlottetown Swimming program. Now she is preparing to lead Team PEI Swimming at her first Special Olympics Canada Games.

I started volunteering with Special Olympics PEI in 2023 after seeing a request for volunteers. I had no experience with coaching swimming and wanted to learn new skills and give time back to my PEI community. Being a part of Special Olympics has brought so much joy into my life. Seeing the athletes challenge themselves to master techniques and show up not only for themselves but for each other has truly taught me so much about being a part of a team. The energy, the comradery, and support is unparalleled to any other sport event I have been a part of. Whether it's at a weekly practice or at a competition, everyone is cheered for, everyone is celebrated, everyone is welcomed for who they are as they are.

Taliena Howden, Head Coach Team PEI Swimming

I'm thrilled to simply be a part of the 2026 SOC Summer Games. To represent PEI, meet athletes and coaches from across Canada, while witnessing the hard work, dedication, and talent of each PEI athlete firsthand is something that I feel will be a life changing experience.

Taliena Howden, Head Coach Team PEI Swimming

Three athletes will be representing PEI in the sport of swimming at the Special Olympics Canada Games this Summer.

Matthew Gallant has been a Special Olympics athlete for 4 years, and first got involved because he wanted to be active and learn new sports. Matthew says he has learned to be more about teamwork through Special Olympics.

It's changed my life by being more confident in myself, and in my skills. Meeting new people, having opportunities I didn't have before. I made new friends. I get to represent my province.

Team PEI 2026 Swimming athlete, Matthew Gallant

Sarah Halman has been a Special Olympics athlete for 14 years, and first got involved after receiving encouragement from a friend. She credits the support of her coaches with helping her to learn the specific swimming strokes she needed to compete. Looking ahead to this Summer, Sarah says she is looking forward to meeting other athletes and having fun.

Ellen MacNearney started swimming with Special Olympics 17 years ago at the encouragement from her swimming coach.

From there Special Olympics has changed my life through sport and friendship!

Team PEI 2026 Swimming athlete, Ellen MacNearney

Ellen is a highly decorated, multi sport athlete having competed at both Special Olympics Canada Games and Canada Games in the sport of swimming, and Special Olympics Canada Games and Special Olympics World Winter Games in the sport of Cross Country Skiing.

Support Team PEI 2026

If you would like to support Team PEI 2026 Swimming, please consider Drafting an Athlete. The Team PEI Draft an Athlete program allows supporters of the Special Olympics movement to fund a Team PEI athlete’s journey to National Games.