Richmond will be well-represented at next month’s B.C. Summer Games in Cowichan.
Over 3,000 of the provincie’s top emerging athletes are slated to participate at the Games which run from July 19-22.
Competing in 18 different sports, the athletes are an average of 14 years old and for most, this will be their first experience at a multi-sport Games.
These athletes will be supported by 453 coaches and 246 officials who have earned their certification in order to provide the best knowledge and expertise to the athletes and the competition.
Athletes with a disability will compete in athletics, canoe/kayak, equestrian and swimming. A recent partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC) will see new opportunities for Indigenous athletes to compete in canoe kayak, basketball, and box lacrosse.
“The Cowichan Valley is known for its warm hospitality and culture including an energetic sport community that is prepared and ready to welcome the province,” said Kelly Mann, President and CEO of the BC Games Society.
“The athletes, coaches, and officials will have the opportunity to compete at high quality sport facilities throughout the valley and experience all that these multi-sport Games have to offer as they pursue their dreams of future national and international level competitions.”
Volunteers in the Cowichan Valley have been preparing for the past two years to host the Games. There will be over 2500 volunteers working to ensure the participants have exceptional competition and a first-rate experience with Opening and Closing Ceremonies, special events, and wonderful hospitality.
“The Cowichan Region is ready and excited to welcome the athletes, coaches, officials, spectators and guests to this beautiful place I call home. Please come and enjoy all that Cowichan has to offer,” said Jennifer Woike, President of the Cowichan 2018 BC Summer Games.
The BC Summer Games has been the starting point for many athletes who have gone on to higher levels of sport such as the Canada Games and Olympic and Paralympic Games. 35 BC Games alumni competed for Canada at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games including Georgia Simmerling (cycling), Kirsten Sweetland (triathlon), Jamie Broder (beach volleyball), Evan Dunfee (race walk), and Byron Green (wheelchair rugby).
Richmond athletes attending the Games include:
Athletics
Claire Bosma, Rylee Crego, Victoria Wideski.
Special Olympics Athletics
Sandra Maiku.
Baseball
Joshwa Abraham.
Basketball 3x3 Boys
Wesley Ainu’u, Gavin Cameron, David Dillague, Kyle Hill, Zach Kennedy, Joshua Mayan, Kaden Nelson, Own Strang, Ben Worthington-White, Zach Zapanta.
Basketball 3x3 Girls
Sarah Carkner, Quincy Hinds, Aaria Johal, Caitlin Kippan, Tiana Maedel.
Basketball 5x5 Boys
Cooper Jones.
Basketball 5x5 Girls
Michelle Dayan, Kiayra Hohlweg.
Golf
Yana San Pedro.
Lacrosse Box
Matthias Campbell, Joshua Fenske-White, Aidan Hindson, Matthew Lylyk, Jacob Stewart, Ethan Strik.
Lacrosse Field
Scott Larden.
Rugby Girls
Kyra Bates, Keelin Laing, Ni Weng.
Soccer Boys
Ignazio Cantarella, Divyan Karunakaran, Taigo Shimada.
Soccer Girls
Zoe Balback, Kara Hikida, Makayla Kusch, Ashley Maedel, Jaya Punia, Alexandra Shury.
Softball
Kaitlyn Eng, Taryn Hill, Shae Sever.
Swimming
Marco Fong.
Synchronized Swimming
Rona Dizayee, Ivy Qin.
Triathlon
Marcus Nguyen.
Volleyball Boys
Ethan Wong, Russell Chan, Marcus Lam, Cardin Le, Spencer Thompson, Ryan Yee.
Volleyball Girls
Elysse Barfoot, Elizabeth Lee, Jaimee Macalalad.
Wrestling
Jaren Bhullar, Chris Trstenjak.
