Peterborough pickleball athletes have returned from the national championships with an impressive medal haul.
Twenty-seven local competitors won a combined 43 medals — 20 gold, 16 silver and seven bronze — at the 2026 IG Wealth Management National Pickleball Championships in Toronto.
The Peterborough contingent was among 923 athletes from across Canada competing over five days at the Downsview and Vaughan Pickleplex facilities.
Players could enter up to five events, with competition spanning men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, along with singles and skill- and age-based divisions.
Two Peterborough athletes were also selected to represent Ontario in the Provincial/Territorial Team Competition.
Cole Lester competed in men’s open singles, while Marie Aubie took part in senior women’s singles. Both were part of Team Ontario, which earned silver in the competition. British Columbia finished first, while Quebec took bronze.
The team event featured provincial and territorial rosters of 16 athletes — eight men and eight women — competing in singles and doubles. Players needed a Canadian Tournament Pickleball Rating of at least 4.0 to be eligible.
Peterborough Pickleball Association president Danielle French praised the local athletes’ performances.
“I’m incredibly proud of the medal achievements of all our Peterborough athletes,” French said, describing the national championships as a showcase for the country’s leading pickleball players.
Smash Courts owner Jody Allen said the results demonstrate the strength of Peterborough’s pickleball community.
Allen also highlighted the selection of Lester and Aubie, who are both coaches at Smash Courts, to Team Ontario.
The local athletes’ 43 medals included individual event results, while Lester and Aubie also contributed to Ontario’s silver-medal finish in the provincial team competition.
