Our favorite photos from the 2024 Native Youth Olympics

The 2024 Native Youth Olympics featured 11 events, including the crowd-favorite wrist carry and the toe kick, which returned to the rotation this year after a decade.

By Bill Roth, Bob Hallinen
Updated: April 29, 2024 Published: April 28, 2024

Devin Cooper-Jackson, from North Pole, competes in the One-Foot High Kick during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

The 2024 Native Youth Olympics featured 11 events — including the crowd-favorite wrist carry and the toe kick, which returned to the rotation this year after a decade — and took place at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage from Thursday through Saturday. Check out results and awards here.

Ellie Hoblet, from False Pass, competes in the One-Foot High Kick during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Eulalia Roman, 12, with team Mat-Su competes in the wrist carry on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Destiny Panruk, 16, of Chefornak competes in the Wrist Carry during the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Native Youth Olympics Senior Games athletes participated in an opening ceremony at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. More than 50 teams from over 100 communities in Alaska are in Anchorage to compete in the three-day event. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Lily Clement, from Cordova, and Essence Isidore, from Alakanuk, compete in the Indian Stick Pull during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, AK on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Johnelle Smith, far left, and Brandon Lee, fourth from left, get stormed by Lower Kuskokwim School District teammates after they both won the Indian Stick Pull during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Gunnar Davis, 14, of Cordova competes in the Wrist Carry during the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Ayla Punzalan, 17, of Unalaska competed in the Wrist Carry on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Ida'ina K'eljeshna (Friendship Dancers) from the Upper Cook Inlt performed at the beginning of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games in the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Former NYO athlete Alex Covey helped officiate the Toe Kick during the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Drey Schaeffer, 17, of Galena, competes in the Toe Kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Sean Moonin, 17, of Nanwalek won the Toe Kick during the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Students from the Alaska Native Cultural Charter School watch the color guard march in before they sang the national anthem in Yup'ik during the opening of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Tahira Akaran, from Mount Edgecumbe, competes in the Kneel Jump during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Daisy VanBlarcom, from Mat-Su, competes in the Kneel Jump during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Adrian Chalusiq Johnston measures the Kneel Jump of Abby Mallette, from Fairbanks, during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Alex Buholm, from Curyung, and Essence Isidore, from Alakanuk, compete in the Indian Stick Pull during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

James Maska-Johnson, from Interior, competes in the Kneel Jump during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Tyler Aspic, from Alak, competes in the One-Foot High Kick during the NYO games at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Bob Hallinen Photo)

Shawna Paul, 15, of Kipnuk, wearing Crocs, competed in the Toe Kick on the first day of the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Toe Kick winner Jordan Klejka, 17, of Bethel and Shawna Paul, 15, of Kipnuk embrace during the Native Youth Olympics Senior Games at the Alaska Airlines Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)

Bill Roth

Bill Roth is a staff photojournalist at the Anchorage Daily News.

Bob Hallinen

Bob Hallinen has been a photojournalist in Alaska since the 1980s and has traveled extensively all over the state. He retired from the ADN in November 2018 after 33 years at the newspaper.

Most read by subscribers

1

After winter lull, homeless outdoor deaths are again mounting in Anchorage

2

Alaska Airlines among those trying to stop Biden administration from enforcing ‘junk fees’ rule

3

Alaska lawmakers focus on energy bills as session deadline nears

4

Ballot returns in Anchorage mayoral runoff are on pace with recent elections

5

Palmer city manager job reopened after ‘potential’ open-meetings law violation

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT