Greater Trail athletes shone brightly at the 55+ BC Games in Abbotsford last month (Aug. 22-26).
The West Kootenay-Boundary team brought home 18 medals including four gold, 11 silver, and three bronze from the annual event and finished 10th out of 13 teams.
Teams consisting of players from the Greater Trail municipalities excelled with the Kootenay Kings 60+ hockey team earning silver, and the Glacier Kings 55+ taking home bronze.
The Flying Steamshovel Mixed 55+ Slo-Pitch team came in second, while the West Kootenay Women’s curling team skipped by Marnie Devlin, with Rose Beauchamp, Sandra Prentice, and Rhonda Baldwin, captured bronze.
Individually, Karen Peterson struck gold in 5-Pin Bowling winning the 55+Div. A high pins average and the Div. A high 6 over average, and Dorothy Harrold topped the podium in 55+ Women’s 30’ Horseshoes.
Trail swimmer Steve Miller captured two silver in 50-m backstroke and 200-m freestyle, and a bronze in 50-m breaststroke.
Cyclist Karen Lees won three silver in Women’s time trial, road race, and hill climb, and Track and Field athlete Leigh Harrison earned silver in the 5,000-m power walk.
The Abbotsford 55+ BC Games was one of the most successful in its history, with up to 2,500 participants competing in 23 sporting events, and more than 1,000 volunteers.
The host Region Z3 Fraser Valley took home the most medals, winning 602 in total, which included 287 gold, 186 silver, and 129 bronze. Lower Mainland was second with 323 medals (126G, 91S, 68B), and Vancouver Island North third with 174 medals (86G, 54S, 34B).
Salmon Arm will take that challenge next year as the Games moves back to the fall and will run from Sept. 10-14, 2024.