Record-Breaking Special Olympics Yukon Powerlifter Trains for National Games
Written By: Callum Denault, Special Olympics Canada athlete and staff member
I had fun, made a lot of friends, and felt belonging,
Says Special Olympics Yukon powerlifter Brandle Bruneau. Outside of powerlifting, Brandle also curls and golfs with Special Olympics Yukon. Weightlifting is Brandle’s main sport and he has been regularly going to the gym with his brother, even before joining Special Olympics. Still, when he’s not working out with his brother, Brandle loves the team he found. “I think the biggest thing [is] it’s just a bigger group of people.” Kris Bruneau—Brandle’s mother—said about why he chose to stay on the Special Olympics team.
Being part of Special Olympics helps with learning to be part of a team, and have a bigger group to be with. It was definitely a positive thing!
Brandle’s lessons in teamwork paid off when he competed at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024 in curling, where he was chosen to be Team Yukon’s designated flag bearer, a role he bore with pride and distinction. The following year, Brandle won Yukon’s first powerlifting medal (a gold one at that!) during the Special Olympics British Columbia Provincial Games, which his territory is regularly invited to compete in.
While training for Nationals, Brandle is weightlifting three times a week, twice with his team, and once with his personal trainer. He is constantly listening to advice from both his coaches and trainer in order to make sure he is lifting with good technique. Him and his mother both agree it is better to focus on proper form over just lifting heavy, both in terms of doing well in competition, as well as simply avoiding injuries.
Diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay, Brandle has been working at a local grocery store since 2018, and said he enjoys the job in no small part because of how respectful the customers and his fellow coworkers are to him. During his shifts, Brandle is accompanied by one of two Inclusion Yukon support workers—Corey and Ruben—who help him manage the symptoms of his disability.
“I’d get distracted,” said Brandle, “and forget what I’m doing sometimes.” Ruben and Corey do not do Brandle’s work for him, they just check in when he appears to have lost his focus, and remind him what he was doing.
Kris added that the movements her son practices in the sport also help him in his day job at the Independent Grocers store, which involves some heavy lifting. Brandle works in the dairy section helping to stock shelves, and got the job through Opportunities Yukon, a program that helps people with disabilities learn various life skills and find meaningful employment.
The staff at the grocery store have been very supportive of what he’s doing, and sometimes when he comes from competition they’ll put pictures up!
