A dozen Richmond athletes will be part of the Team B.C. contingent heading to Winnipeg this week for the Canada Summer Games.
The 2017 Canada Summer Games marks the multi-sport competition’s 50th anniversary and coincides with Canada’s 150th birthday. Special celebrations in Winnipeg will mark the importance of the Games to the country.
Team B.C. features 354 athletes, 52 coaches and technical support staff. Competition will take place in 16 sports against teams from Canada’s 13 provinces and territories.
The Richmond contingent features: Athletes — Balraj Zimich (athletics), Kirsten Abo (basketball), Alisha Lau (golf), Jalen Donaldson (soccer,) Jordan Britten-Young (softball), Sierra Sherritt (softball), Joseph Rybicki (softball), Ethan Chan (swimming), Matthew Crawford (swimming), Amanda McCallum (swimming), Jiaxin Gong (tennis), Zixiao Zhao (volleyball).
They will be joined by: Coaches — Carrie Watts (basketball), Kevin Black (sailing); Managers — Christine Wong (golf), Travis McClellan (volleyball); Technical Support — Wesley Ochitwa (Road Cycling).
Lau, who will soon be headed to the University of Colorado for her freshman season on a full-ride scholarship, secured her trip to Winnipeg by winning the recent B.C. Junior Girls Championship.
Donaldson will be a member of the B.C. women’s soccer team that captured gold at the last Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Que. Her teammate — Emma Regan — has been named the Opening Ceremony Flag Bearer.
Team B.C. finished third behind Ontario and Quebec at the 2013 Games with 122 medals and is expected to be a top performer once again. Many high-level athletes have also launched their athletic careers through the B.C. Games and Team B.C. At the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, 30 Team B.C. alumni were part of Team Canada.
