It was another beautiful day along the Snye for the canoe/kayak competition as Anna Zhang (Vancouver) and Hana Ronayne (Pemberton) paddled their way to a bronze medal in the C-2 5000m in their inaugural multi-sport games. Learning from other athletes is the highlight of the Western Canada Summer Games for the duo.
“It is great to learn from other athletes and people with lots of experience racing,” says Ronayne.
Zhang says, “I love racing and this is my first time competing for Team BC”.
“(The race) went better than I expected,” admitted Ronayne. “I was worried I would not be able to keep up with Anna because she is a strong distance paddler and my specialty is 500m. However, right from the start we found the right stroke rate.”
Zhang agrees the race went well. “We had good steering and we stayed together. I really liked the turns but they were super sharp!”
In other canoe/kayak events, Team BC performed very well. The men swept the podium for the second day in K-1 5000m with Alex Brent (Dewdney), Matthew Kholer (Maple Ridge) and Seb Sorescu (Maple Ridge) finishing one, two, and three respectively.
The team also took gold and silver in the K-2 5000m, silver in the C-2 men’s 500m and bronze in C-15 war canoe. Together the team paddled in a total of seven medals on Monday, including two gold, three silver, and two bronze.
Team BC served up four medals on the tennis court at Timberlea Community Park including gold in men’s and women’s doubles, gold in men’s singles and bronze in women’s singles.
At MacDonald Island Park, Team BC gymnasts tumbled their way to silver in women’s all-around team competition. The top eight competitors on each apparatus today, qualify for event finals on Tuesday.
Team BC blazed the track again, taking gold in men’s and women’s racewalk, silver and bronze in 1500m men’s wheelchair, bronze in men’s 800m, silver in 2000m steeplechase, and Regan Yee (Vancouver) taking the gold with the third fastest time in Canadian history in the 2000m steeplechase. On the field, Team BC swept the podium in Hammer throw with Natasha Akbarizadeh (Maple Ridge), Camryn Rogers, and Chanell Botsis (Coquitlam) atop the podium. The O-Zone contributed to Team BC’s success on the field with a silver and bronze in ladies long jump and a gold in men’s long jump.
In the dojo, both the men’s and women’s judo teams landed on the top of the podium. Today was Isabelle Harris’ 14th birthday and it only seemed fitting that she would seal the women’s team’s gold medal 3-2 over Alberta.
The women’s beach volleyball team beat Manitoba to advance to the finals against Team Alberta at Snye Park on Tuesday. The men’s team lost their final round-robin match Monday against Team Alberta, however rebounded in the semifinal against Saskatchewan. Tuesday they will dig for gold against Alberta.
Team BC Wrestling grappled their way past Alberta to double gold at MacDonald Island Park. The ladies won 35 – 14 and the men 27 – 22 on their way to the podium.
Team BC women’s cyclists swept the podium Monday for the third-consecutive day. Emily Handford (West Vancouver), Stephanie Denroche (Whistler) and Kelsey Macdonald (Pitt Meadows) finished one, two, and three respectively in mountain bike eliminator; while the men took gold and bronze in the eliminator.
At the Syncrude Centre, BC’s women’s basketball team took on Manitoba and lost in a very close semifinal game, 51-46. The women will now play for bronze on Tuesday. The men beat Alberta 86 – 41 to advance to the gold-medal game against Saskatchewan set for Tuesday morning.
BC remains atop the medal standings after three days of competition with 52 gold, 35 silver, 31 bronze and a total of 118 medals.
External Sport Credits
External Sport Credits are available for athletes who participate in an ongoing training program that enables them to qualify for and/or participate in the Team BC program for the Western Canada Summer Games.
Credit is available for sports which have been approved by the Ministry of Education, as detailed on their website.
The Sport Branch of the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development has worked with Provincial Sport Organizations to identify what competition/selections athletes will receive credit for.
For more information, connect with the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) for your sport. PSO contact information is available here...
Western Canada Summer Games participants whose sport is eligible for Athlete 11 External Sport Credentials will receive an emailed letter soon after completion of the Games.
Athlete Survey
As the Phase 1 athletes and coaches prepare to head home, make sure you take a minute and let us know about your experience with Team BC at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games. Complete the survery here...
All participants who complete the survey will be entered to win a $50 gift certificate from Sport Chek.
Team BC and BC Games Alumni Pin
One pin worth keeping extra safe is the special pin given to all BC Games alumni, who are part of Team BC this year in Wood Buffalo. This pin will be presented with a special recognition card at the Western Canada Summer Games to symbolize their significant achievement and acknowledgement of their contribution to Team BC’s ongoing sporting legacy.
“The BC Games Society is incredibly proud to have played a role in the development of these athletes,” said Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society. “The depth of Team BC speaks to the strength and coordination of the British Columbia sport system. We look forward to seeing the results of our BC Games alumni in Wood Buffalo.”
BC Games alumni feature prominently and represent 44% of the team. 138 athletes have previously competed at a BC Winter or BC Summer Games with an additional 28 coaches, 12 managers, and 9 mission staff members who are also alumni.
Team BC Birthdays
August 11 will see phase one athletes leaving and phase two athletes arriving, but it is also Jack DeCooman III’s birthday! Jack will be arriving in Wood Buffalo tomorrow with his baseball team and the other phase two athletes. Maybe they will sing him Happy Birthday on the plane?
Tomorrow's Schedule
09:00 Basketball Female Bronze Medal BC VS SK
09:00 Cycling Cross Country Mountain Bike Male
09:00 Wrestling Individual Competition
09:15 Cycling Cross Country Mountain Bike Female
10:00 Artistic Gymnastics Individual Finals
11:00 Basketball Male Gold Medal Match BC vs MB
11:00 Volleyball Beach Male Gold Medal Game BC vs AB
11:15 Athletics Heptathlon Female Long Jump
11:30 Athletics 400m Hurdles Female
12:00 Athletics Heptathlon Female Javelin
12:10 Athletics 3000m Female
12:30 Athletics 3000m Male
12:30 Athletics High Jump Female
12:30 Volleyball Beach Female Gold Medal Game BC vs AB 12:45 Athletics Heptathlon Female
12:50 Athletics 4 x 400m Relay Female
13:00 Athletics Shot Put Female
13:10 Athletics 4 x 400m Relay Male
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