Coquitlam swimmer Len Shannon struck gold at the 55+ BC Games, taking home five first-place medals in the swimming pool last week.
Competing in the 70 to 74 age group, Shannon won the 25 m, 50 m and 100 m backstroke along with the 25 m and 50 m freestyle. He also took silver in the individual medley.
He was not the only Tri-City swimmer to have success in the pool during the 55+ Games.
Port Coquitlam’s Aldert Dykstra took gold in the 200 m, 400 m and 800 m freestyle competing in the 75 to 79 age group, while winning bronze in the 50 m butterfly. He also won gold in the 200 m individual medley and a silver in the 100 m individual medley.
A team consisting of Renee Kinnear of Port Coquitlam, Janet Murray of Coquitlam and Celia Hill and Dale Freeman of Surrey were first to cross the finish line in the women’s medley relay in the 60 to 64 age group. Kinnear also took first place in the 25 m and 50 m breaststroke and silver in the 100 m individual medley.
In track and field, Hayley Urith of Coquitlam had a strong showing, winning gold in the high jump and the pole vault in the 65 to 69 age group. She later won another gold in the 100 m race and the 200 m hurdles while taking silver in the 200 m race and the 50 m race. Andrew Natale grabbed five medals, winning silver in shot put, javelin and hammer throw while taking bronze in the weight throw and discus in the men’s 60 to 64 age category.
Port Moody’s Lori Graham won gold in the 5,000 m power walk, while taking second place in the 50 m sprint, discus, weight throw and javelin. She also finished the week with a bronze medal in shot put and hammer throw.
Al Percival, another Port Moody athlete, took gold int he 100 m and the 50 m in his 65 to 69 age group, while Coquitlam runner Elaine Whidden won gold in the 100 m, the 200 m and the 400 m race in the 60 to 64 age category.
High jumper Steve Whittemore topped the podium in his event, while Valerie Scott took gold in javelin, silver in the 200 m and bronze in the 50 m in the 60 to 64 age group.
Tri-City athletes were also well represented during the badminton event.
Kelvin Cheng of Coquitlam and Augustine Lau of Port Coquitlam took silver in the men’s badminton doubles, while Lillian Hsu and Hon Reiter, both of Coquitlam, won silver in the women’s event. Hsu also won gold in the women’s singles recreation category.
Ningjiang Xia and Samuel Tsang of Coquitlam took gold in the men’s badminton doubles, with Xia also winning gold in the singles event and Vera Zhang of Coquitlam winning silver in the women’s 70 to 74 badminton singles.
Kim and Ning Yee of Coquitlam won gold in the mixed doubles men and women 75 to 79 age group badminton event and Marie Baluk of Coquitlam and Sue Thompson of Chilliwack grabbed gold in the same age category in the recreational event. Baluk also won gold in the 80 to 84 singles category.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand Liem and Zhiming Soung Wang of Coquitlam led in the badminton men’s doubles 70 to 74 age group, while Port Moody’s Alice Seow won gold in the same age group in the competitive singles badminton event.
In table tennis, Mi Fong Or of Port Coquitlam won gold in the 60 to 64 singles category, while Port Moody’s Florence Shao paddled to first place in the 55 to 59 singles competition.
Coquitlam’s Huan-Ming Mao won gold in men’s 55-59 table tennis and Paul Wong took first in the 65-69 competitive event along with Timmy Chow who grabbed first place in the recreational event.
Gordon Betcher of Port Moody won gold in the men’s tennis event along with Joe Guiotto of Coquitlam, who took first place. John Hylton-Foster, won in the singles 70 to 74 category.
Two Coquitlam residents brought home medals in pickleball, with Brenda Martel taking the 4.5+ singles event and Bob Weier winning first in the 3.5 singles event.
Denis Sigfusson and Florence Hurtubise of Coquitlam grabbed gold in mixed men and women lawn bowling on a team with Langley residents Edward and Jean Wagstaff.
sports@tricitynews.com
