A contingent of eight athletes from Powell River joined a team representing Vancouver Island-Central Coast at the recent BC Summer Games in Abbotsford, which featured 3,000 athletes and coaches from around the province.
Three local athletes came home with silver medals. Quinn Elzer and Blake Nelson were part of the team that placed second in boys volleyball, losing in the final match to Fraser Valley in two sets. Mackenzie Guild also won a silver in the boys 4x400 metre relay.
According to Elzer, the whole experience was “awesome”.
“I was really nervous to be in the gold-medal match, but it was an excited kind of nervous,” said Elzer.
Other Powell River members of the zone team included Drew Sundberg, high jump, long jump and javelin; Keagen Abbott, shot put, discus and javelin; Chris Fisher and James Timothy, soccer (fifth place); and Maddison Yule, beach volleyball (11th place).
“It was an incredible experience, but a little disappointing because we had high expectations after winning the Island championships,” said Yule. “I feel honoured to have participated in two summer games, one as an indoor player and now as a beach player.”
Vancouver Island-Central Coast finished atop of the overall medal count with 65 gold, 48 silver and 58 bronze for a total medal tally of 171. Seven other zones participated.
BC Summer Games will return in 2018, hosted by Cowichan Valley.
