Special Olympic BC-Trail athletes joined about 500 other athletes from across the province in Kamloops last month to compete in the 2023 SOBC Winter Games.
The competitors from 40 communities around the province came together in Kamloops from February 2 to 4, and gave their all in eight sports.
The athletes were well prepared to compete with pride, after all their hard work training in the year-round Special Olympics programs in their hometowns.
They returned home laden with medals, personal bests, and memories and friendships for life. As they say in the Special Olympics Athlete’s Oath, they were truly “brave in the attempt.”
These were Special Olympics BC’s first Provincial Games in four years, after a pause forced by the pandemic. Special Olympics BC athletes were thrilled to come back together to compete and show their skills.
The tremendous support from Kamloops volunteers and sponsors brought SOBC Games back in joyful fashion.
“The event was absolutely amazing. Kamloops volunteers jumped in and pulled it off – and not only pulled it off but got amazing feedback that this was one of the best Games ever,” 2023 SOBC Games Organizing Committee Chair Jan Antons said. “To see the joy of the athletes and volunteers and everyone around was a really great experience.”
In Alpine skiing, SOBC-Trail skier Tim McTeer earned a gold medal in the Intermediate Giant Slalom and Scott Simister, a Rossland native, earned a bronze in the Advanced Slalom.
In snowshoeing, Jordan Mcphee raced to silver in the 100-m sprint and bronze in the 200 and 400-m races.
Read: SOBC-Trail athletes primed for return to SOBC Winter Games