Justin Trudeau helps kick off Canada Summer Games

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau helped kick off the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg on Friday. As athletes entered the arena, there was a “bottleneck,” as CTV News puts it, near Trudeau as many tried to get a photo with the PM.

The quadrennial summer games is a multi-sport event for amateur athletes representing their province or territory. As many as 4,600 athletes, according to CBC Manitoba, will compete at the 2017 Canada Summer Games. The athletics portion of the Canada Summer Games takes place July 31-Aug. 4.

The Canadian PM was on hand for the opening ceremonies at Bell MTS Place – the home of the Winnipeg Jets, a NHL franchise – and athletes, under the age of 22, made sure to seize the opportunity to either meet or take a photo with Trudeau, an avid runner himself. Trudeau travelled to Winnipeg from Kenora, Ont. where he Friday morning. On Saturday morning, Trudeau toured the athletes’ village and met with participants.

Check out scenes from the opening ceremony below.

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Got to meet the Prime Minister!! ????@2017CanadaGames @JustinTrudeau pic.twitter.com/bUMD4nxGf9

— Victoria Tachinski (@victoriatach) July 29, 2017

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The @2017CanadaGames are officially open! Good luck to all the athletes who are competing & representing the best in sport.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 29, 2017

The cauldron is lit, the @2017CanadaGames were declared open & today the sports start! Visit https://t.co/7FRd97eSNr to watch the action. pic.twitter.com/HrNOluFnqL

— Canada Games | Jeux du Canada (@CanadaGames) July 29, 2017

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A number of international-class U23 runners will be competing at the Canada Summer Games including Pan American U20 Championships gold medallists Victoria Tachinski and Laura Dickinson. Both competed in Peru two weeks ago.

Athletics at the Canada Summer Games, held at the University of Manitoba Stadium, will be streamed live here.