A group of 23 up-and-coming Campbell River athletes will have the experience of a life-time when they hit the big stage at the BC Winter Games.
Cindy Simpson, a veteran badminton player and BC Games official, says the Games will provide an invaluable experience for the athletes.
“The experiences that they get in these beginning games are so beneficial to them as they experience the expertise of our coaches and officials and how to interact within a volunteer-based sport system,” Simpson said. “The athletes attending these games are beginning a pathway of competition in multi-story events that have the potential to take them to the highest of all – the Olympics which are multi-story as well.”
Simpson is a gold medalist in badminton at the Winter Games, once as a competitor and once as a coach. She has also won a silver medal while coaching and has participated as a provincial advisor four different times.
Campbell River is sending a good crop of talent to the Games this year, which take place Feb. 23-26, in Vernon.
Daniel Henry, Bruce Henry and Luke Lindenbach will represent the city in judo after qualifying at an Island tournament in Victoria last December.
Gymnasts Kyra Boulding, Nathan Chow, Liam Deagle, Christina Kuschel, Quinn Kuschel-Ross, and Rob Wild will also represent the river city.
Chow finished gold all-around with his performance at the qualifiers, while Kuschel-Ross won the bronze. Deagle won silver on the high bar and finished second on the rings.
On the girls’ side, Boulding finished first all-around in qualifying in Nanaimo, capturing gold on the beam and silver on the vault.
Ayaz Amlani will represent Campbell River in badminton and Maddison Devlin and Julia Wing will represent Campbell River female hockey.
Other athletes from Campbell River include: Olivia Hill (karate), Emma Hunchak (karate), Gurleen Mann (karate), and Gurjot Mann (karate) as well as skiers Jared Perras (alpine), Andrea Stapff (cross country), Avalon Wasteneys (cross country), Teal Harle (freestyle), Shane Harle (freestyle), Clay Sketchley (freestyle), and Erin Sketchley (freestyle).
The BC Winter Games have provided opportunities for the development of athletes, coaches, and officials in preparation for higher levels of competition since 1978.
The event, along with the BC Summer Games, is the province’s largest multi-sport event.
The Winter Games feature athletes from 15 different sports and are attended by as many as 1,576 athletes, 363 coaches, and 216 officials.