The Tri-Cities have plenty of hometown favourites to root for at the Canada Summer Games that start this week in Sherbrooke, Que.
Coquitlam will be represented on the track by sprinters Benjamin Ayesu-Attah, James Linde and Esinam Ayesu-Attah, while Daniel Caverly will hit the sand for beach volleyball. Emily Gerson will compete in rowing, while the Coquitlam Reds Jonathan Keltie will be on the mound for Team BC.
Madeline Wainman will test her skills on the diving platform and Colin Morrow will be in the shot put competition. Travis Chastkavich is a coach of the Team BC swim team.
Coquitlam's Denver Sparks-Guest joins the men's basketball team that also includes Port Moody's Grant Galbraith and Tarik Scott of Port Coquitlam.
Mario Gerges of Coquitlam will be the keeper for the Team BC soccer team that also includes forward Michael North and midfielder Luigi Polisi. They will be joined by Alejandro Varela and David Merton, both of Port Coquitlam, as well as Port Moody's Kyle Jones.
Coquitlam's Nikki Cornwall joins Port Moody's Alessandra Gentile and Katie Devaney of Port Coquitlam on the volleyball court.
Port Coquitlam's Courtney Bridge will be playing women's softball and Ryan Sclater will represent Team BC in volleyball. Robyn Cando will compete in fencing and Djamilatou Diallo will take part in the wheelchair race series. Lisa Myers is a coach of para-throws athletes.
Lauren Swistak of Port Moody will compete in the pool. David McKay and Lyndsay Belisle are wrestling coaches with Team BC and Laura Watson is part of the mission staff.
Team BC will send a dedicated group of 360 athletes, 70 coaches and 20 mission staff to the 2013 Canada Summer Games, which runs Aug. 2-17.
Team BC ended the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island with 57 gold, 43 silver and 44 bronze medals, increasing its gold medal count from 2005 by more than 20%. The total medal count of 144 bettered the mark of 119 won at the 2005 Games in Regina, Sask.
