Team BC athletes are back in BC after the second and final week of the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg. Just before the Closing Ceremony Sunday at Investors Group Field on the University of Manitoba Campus, we caught up with some of our athletes to get their impressions and memories of the Games.
Quotes
GODINEZ, Ana Paula (Langley) - gold medallist in women's wrestling
On her Canada Games experience
"It's cool to see all the different sports. I'm excited for it to finally end because it was a good week and I had loads of fun. It feels more like sport oriented, you cheer on other sports and you care for other sports, unlike just a wrestling tournament where you are only thinking about wrestling and yourself. This is a team thing."
DIEMER, Aaron (Victoria) - bronze medallist in doubles with SIHOTA, Jovan (North Vancouver),silver medallist in mixed team tennis
On being at a multisport games
"It's been really fun. The atmosphere is great with so many amazing athletes. To be able to play doubles with a friend from my home town and coach from my hometown has been really cool. The team aspect is really unique for us, because as an individual sport, you are always out there on your own and being able to play as a team is really fun. When you have friends at the event, you can cheer for them."
MARRIOT, Reid (Langley) - bronze medallist in men's volleyball
On winning bronze
"It's been an unreal experience. The bronze medal was pretty awesome. The semifinal was heart-breaking, but you know to come back and win a medal was really nice. Everyone enjoyed the entire experience."
On being at a multisport games
"We got out to soccer games, softball games, we went to a lot of stuff, it was really fun. All the volunteers and staff were super helpful."
OXLAND, Kayla (North Vancouver) - women's volleball, seventh place
On competing at the Canada Games
"It's been an amazing experience, to be honest. We had this game against Manitoba and it was a major crowd. you just have to look up at the crowd and it's like wow, I am actually here. It's been such a great week."
VAN DAM, Sarah (Victoria)- cycling, women's criterium, fourth place
On racing with her team
"It's been surreal and really cool riding with these girls. They have a lot of experience to pass down to me, so it's been a really awesome experience."
On being at the Canada Games
"This was my first multisports gams, so that was really cool getting out and watching other sports and cheering them on. It's really nice. I hear this is a really good expereince for going to the Olympics.So, that's my ultimate goal."
Team BC posted a record-setting peformace in Winnipeg with 146 medals, the most earned by BC at a Canada Summer Games. Team BC finished in second place in the medal count behind Team Ontario with 212 medals and head of Team Quebc with 138 medals.
The next Canada Winter Games are in Red Deer, Alberta in 2019.
The Niagara Region in Ontario will host the next Canada Summer Games in 2021.