Portage Collegiate Institute in Portage la Prairie will soon have another Skills Manitoba gold banner hanging from its ceiling. Automotive student Alexander Amend won the gold medal, and says he wondered how he fared when things got a little tough partway through the competition.

Alexander Amend in action, going for the gold."I started off the day pretty strong," says Amend. "In the first five stations I got mostly 80 out of 100 marks. I was almost 40 points ahead, but I messed up that sixth station. I still had enough points to stay in first, though."

He lists the tests he had to grapple with.

"Assembling brakes, assembling an engine, suspension components, electrical problem, and vehicle computer systems messing up and figuring out what was wrong with that."

Automotive service categoryAmend notes the school's having banners made for the winners and then he heads off to the national competition in a month in Winnipeg. Those who win the nationals go on to the world competition.

He adds it feels good to win the gold, noting he was a little down in spirits when he thought he lost it at that sixth round. On hearing the announcement that he won, he says it cheered him up again.