麻豆社区

Team Yukon returned from Langley, B.C. this week with a whopping 20 medals won at the Special Olympics B.C. Summer Games on the weekend.

The team of 19 athletes from the territory went up against more than 1,000 athletes from across B.C. at the provincial games, where nearly 600 medals were handed out in total.

With 1,200 volunteers also on hand, it was reportedly the largest Special Olympics B.C. Summer Games yet.

Two days of intense competition followed the opening ceremonies Thursday night.

When the dust settled, Yukoners had claimed 10 medals in track and field, eight in swimming, one in bocce and another in soccer.

Top medal winners were Darby McIntyre, who claimed four on the track, and Kevin Spofford, who won four of his own in the pool.

Track 麻豆社区Jessica Pruden and swimmer Ernest Chua each took home three medals, respectively, while Owen Munroe scored two on the track.

It was a very special few days, said Special Olympics Yukon executive director and Chef de Mission Serge Michaud.

"We had a number of first-time athletes travelling with Team Yukon and they all did terrific,鈥� he said. "There were five athletes on the team that had never travelled with us before and all five of them had such a positive experience. For us, it's comforting in knowing that what we're doing is working. It's a promotion of independence and empowerment for these athletes.鈥�

While personal growth is a key focus of the provincial games, Michaud said he was proud of the results of all Yukon athletes, many of whom achieved personal bests.

"In so many respects, these Games were very successful for Team Yukon,鈥� he said.

"The number of personal bests that happened at these Games was pretty ridiculous. It was amazing. Just nothing but proud.鈥�

The soccer team won silver, after beating their rival team from Prince George to advance to the gold-medal game.

Meanwhile, a large cheering section propelled the bocce team to bronze.

McIntyre won the 5,000-metre run in grand fashion, finishing in 19:52, a mark considered excellent seeing as he is just 13 and competing at his first provincial games.

"He really shone,鈥� said Michaud. "Even off the track, we discovered he has a terrific personality, and he kept us in stitches most of the weekend.鈥�

Chua tore up the pool, swimming to three gold-medal victories, and received high praise from his former coach from B.C.

The Yukon also enjoyed several non-medal highlights, said Michaud.

On the links, J.S. Gallant made his goal of breaking 60 on both of his nine-hole rounds, earning himself a personal-best 54 and 59.

Tijana McCarthy also scored a personal best during the first day of competition, shooting a 72.

The 2013 Special Olympics B.C. Summer Games serves as a qualifying event for the 2014 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, which will be taking place July 7 to 14 in Vancouver.

A complete list of individual and team medal winners is as follows:

Darby McIntyre: gold (5,000-metre run); gold (standing long jump); silver (shot put); bronze (1,500-metre run).

Jessica Pruden: gold (shot put); silver (standing long jump); silver (100-metre dash).

Ernest Chua: gold (100-metre freestyle swim); gold (200-metre freestyle swim); gold (100-metre backstroke).

Owen Munroe: gold (standing long jump); gold (1,500-metre run).

Kevin Spofford: silver (25-metre freestyle swim); silver (25-metre backstroke); silver (50-metre freestyle swim); bronze (50-metre backstroke).

Mallory Pigage: gold (100-metre dash).

Stefan Oettli: silver (50-metre freestyle swim).

Bocce team 鈥� Aimee Lien, Taylor Amundson, Trevor Beemish and Teresa Roberts: bronze (C division).

Soccer team 鈥� Kenny Atlin, Rachel Dawson, William Everett, Teddy Jackson, Christopher Lee, Marvin Hall, Gaetan Michaud, Stephen Magundy, Mike Sumner and Duncan Gibb: silver (C division).