Recap: Team BC at the 2013 Canada Summer Games

Hundreds of Team BC athletes and coaches from across British Columbia are returning to their normal routines this week after an outstanding performance at the 2013 Canada Summer Games which ran from August 2 – 17 in Sherbrooke, QC. The Games kicked off with a bang earlier this month with over 4,500 athletes across the country coming together after intensive lead-up training to compete in 20 different sports.

Team BC finished the Games ranking third in Canada, with 122 medals—47 gold, 36 silver and 39 bronze. They also tied Quebec in second place for flag points. Above and beyond medals and points, Team BC were also awarded the Claude Hardy Award which is presented to a provincial or territorial team in recognition of leadership, cooperation, integrity, and esprit de corps.
 

Top ten highlights for Team BC at the 2013 Canada Summer Games

The Games are a memorable experience that no participant or spectator will soon forget. In light of the many incredible accomplishments at the Games, we have put together ten highlights of some firsts, incredible stories and great memories!

1. Kicking it off, the athletes and coaches showed incredible spirit with costumes, face painting, drums and cheers at the first Pep Rally heading into Week 1 of the Games. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement!
    
2. On day four, Sergey Holson, a swimming athlete broke the previous meet record with his time of 28.95 in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke to win Team BC’s first gold medal of the Games.
    
3. On day six, Quinn Moberg, on the cycling mountain team, made Games history by winning the inaugural bronze medal in the very first men’s mountain biking sprint event.
    
4. On day seven, after several well played matches, Team BC’s women’s soccer team earned a well deservedgold medal victory against Quebec with a score of 3-2 at the final whistle.
    
5. On day eight, the women’s softball team “mercied” the competition winning 9-1, while the men’s baseball team secured a victory of 5-0 to bring home two more team gold medals.
    
6. On day 10, Team BC’s unparalleled team spirit carried into Week 2 with an explosion of excitement at thesecond Pep Rally.
    
7. On day 12, despite the downpour, para-throws athlete Jessye Brockway pulled through the weather to capture her second bronze medal for Team BC in the para discus competition.
    
8. On day 13, 58 Team BC athletic athletes began finals with 58 finalists taking part in 42 medal events.
    
9. On day 15, Team BC Women’s and Men’s rowing teams collectively brought in 6 medals — five gold and one silver — on day one of the finals.
    
10. On day 16, the final day of the Games, men’s soccer, fencing and rowing all brought in medals to conclude the final day bringing the medal count to 122 to secure BC’s spot as one of the top three provinces in the country.
     

Torch passed on to BC, next host province for the 2015 Canada Winter Games

At the conclusion of the 2013 Canada Summer Games, the torch was officially passed from Quebec to BC as the next host province. In two years time, BC will host the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George though preparations are already well underway. On our home turf, we’re sure to see a rush of BC supporters filling the stands cheering on the next group of talented Team BC hopefuls, many who will surely be standing on the Olympic podium in the years to come.

Photo credit: Team BC

viaSport would like to congratulate all athletes, coaches, volunteers and staff for their hard work and dedication in making the 2013 Canada Summer Games a successful event. We look forward to the excitement ahead for BC in 2015.
 

ACE Leadership Award winners honoured at Canada Games pep rallies

The ACE (Achieving Community Excellence) Leadership Award, founded by BC Athlete Voice, was created as a means to recognize the contributions of BC athletes and coaches to their communities through leadership-both on and off the playing surface.

Four athletes and four coaches from Team BC were honoured with an ACE Award in front of peers during the Canada Games pep rallies this year and will be receiving their official awards once they have settled in back home in BC. viaSport congratulates all 2013 ACE Award recipients and looks forward to providing more info on the recipients through a formal announcement in the coming weeks:

Athletes:

• Danielle Caron — Nanaimo, BC
• Rosie Johanson — Abbotsford, BC
• Jasmine Mander — Delta, BC
• Tessa Nagai — Maple Ridge, BC

Coaches:

• Lyndsay Belisle — Port Moody, BC
• Christopher Dahl — Victoria, BC
• Nikki Reiter — Kelowna, BC
• Patricia Sima Ledding — Kelowna, BC
   

More on the 2013 Canada Games

If you were weren’t able to catch it, watch viaSport’s Team BC Feature Presentation which aired online from the viaSport Broadcast Studio kicking off this year’s Canada Games. Congratulations to all featured athletes and coaches on their incredible performance in Sherbrooke.