Eight Greater Victoria athletes are making the trip to Red Deer for the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
After years of training and countless hours of exhausting practices, players spoke to Black Press Media about their gratitude for loved ones and excitement to be called up as a Team BC player.
Over 150 events in 21 sports are being featured, bringing together 13 teams from all 10 provinces and three territories. The Games run from Feb. 15 to March 3. You can watch the competitors and find schedules on or .
Nolan Bentham, 15 B次元官网网址� Hockey
Nolan Bentham currently practices and does workouts in the morning with his team Yale Hockey Academy in Abbotsford. The defenceman has been drafted by the Victoria Royals and has been training with the team. HeB次元官网网址檚 hoping to earn a spot in the Royals lineup starting next year.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e just been mentally and physically getting ready B次元官网网址� working in the gym, on the ice, trying to fine-tune skills, and IB次元官网网址檓 just really excited for the Canada Winter Games. IB次元官网网址檓 really looking forward do itB次元官网网址hereB次元官网网址檚 tons to be grateful for, even in my small hockey career so far B次元官网网址� parents, brothers, teammates.B次元官网网址�
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| Ryleigh Bissenden plays for Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (Gerry Kripps) |
Ryleigh Bissenden, 21 B次元官网网址� Wheelchair Basketball
Ryleigh Bissenden first started playing wheelchair basketball six years ago in a home school program. She started going out to practices more frequently, then slowly started practising in training camps. Simon Cass, her coach for the past six years, is also from Victoria and will be coaching in the Games. She currently plays for Victoria Wheelchair Sports and the womenB次元官网网址檚 provincial team for B.C. and the provincial junior team. Bissenden is headed to Montreal after the Games for CWBL WomenB次元官网网址檚 Nationals.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been crazy. I feel like it was just yesterday we were talking about how it was only a year away, and now we leave in a couple of days B次元官网网址� so itB次元官网网址檚 really exciting. I feel like the teamB次元官网网址檚 been training really hard. IB次元官网网址檓 feeling nervous for how cold it is there, but IB次元官网网址檓 really excited to experience the whole thing. I think it should be a lot of fun. My familyB次元官网网址檚 been really supportive. TheyB次元官网网址檝e come to as many Games as they can.B次元官网网址�
Antonio Li, 21 B次元官网网址� Badminton
Antonio Li has retained the No. 1 spot in badminton in B.C. for menB次元官网网址檚 singles since 2016 and is currently No. 2 for menB次元官网网址檚 singles in Canada. Li lives in Toronto to train and coach at KC Badminton Club but spent most of his life in Victoria. HeB次元官网网址檚 competing in menB次元官网网址檚 singles and mixed doubles with teammate Kylie Chang. HeB次元官网网址檚 currently taking time off from school to coach and qualify for the 2020 Olympics. Li also competed in the 2015 Summer Games. He started playing in a three-court community club in the Cordova Bay area, where he found his passion and fell in love with the sport.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 my first time going to the Winter Games, so IB次元官网网址檓 eager to play an event like this. ItB次元官网网址檚 a great opportunity. ItB次元官网网址檚 not my first time playing in a tournament, but playing a multi-sport event like this kind of plays on the nerves, but IB次元官网网址檓 there with the team and I have all that support. IB次元官网网址檓 thankful for my parents for supporting me.B次元官网网址�
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| Victoria Synchro artistic swimmers Kaitlyn and Mara will swim duet at the Winter Games (Tara Gant) |
Kaitlyn Aylesworth, 16, and Mara Lambert-Wilson, 17 B次元官网网址� Artistic Swimming
Kaitlyn Aylesworth and Mara Lambert have been selected to swim duet after a two-year selection process. They have four events coming up, each with different routines: the technical duet, a free duet, technical team and free team. The team events will consist of 10 swimmers. After the Games, the athletes have national qualifiers and national championships coming up.
The pair have been travelling to Surrey to practice for team events every other weekend. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of travel and missed school and commitment on their part,B次元官网网址� said Tara Gant, their regular coach at Victoria Synchro. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a lot of travel.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he experience has been really long but itB次元官网网址檚 really rewarding to see where weB次元官网网址檝e come from B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 been really great,B次元官网网址� said Lambert-Wilson. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been training every weekend. IB次元官网网址檓 excited to see all the sports and everyone thatB次元官网网址檚 coming. IB次元官网网址檓 feeling a bit nervous but that comes with competition.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a really great experience,B次元官网网址� said Aylesworth. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of travel to Vancouver, but I really bonded with my team and weB次元官网网址檙e really coming together. All our hard work is paying off. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of excitement, IB次元官网网址檓 just trying to tell myself to stay focused, keep working hard. You know, it feels like the final stretch and the team and myself are really excited about it.B次元官网网址�
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| Defenseman Ty Gibson of the South Island Royals (Nic Hoekstra |
Ty Gibson, 15 B次元官网网址� Hockey
Ty Gibson plays defence with the South Island Royals junior team. HeB次元官网网址檚 been drafted by the WHLB次元官网网址檚 Everett Silvertips. Last year, he made the playoffs with the Pacific Coast Hockey Academy Sea Devils.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be an honour to go and represent B.C. and play at the Canada Winter Games. IB次元官网网址檓 just super excited. IB次元官网网址檝e met the team before, and itB次元官网网址檚 a great bunch of guys. WeB次元官网网址檙e gonna go out there and try to win gold for the province,B次元官网网址� said Gibson.
B次元官网网址淔amily-wise itB次元官网网址檚 been huge support: grandparents, great grandparents, aunts and uncles B次元官网网址� all have been wishing me luck and have been there the whole way. Hockey team, coaches, same thing, theyB次元官网网址檝e been there for me, supporting me, pushing me, just wishing me good luck.B次元官网网址�
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| Webb won two bronze medals at Ranier Cup(Weri Gadou-Morisho) |
Dakota Webb, 15 B次元官网网址� Judo
Dakota Webb has been practicing judo for two-and-a-half years and has been having year-round practices to prepare for competitions, which last from fall until the mid-summer. She has competed internationally as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 top eight ranked athlete in the under 18, 70 kg category.
In January, Webb competed in MontrealB次元官网网址檚 2019 Elite Nationals judo competition. SheB次元官网网址檚 competing in the +70 category for Team BC. The weekend after she gets back from Red Deer, Webb is headed to the open national championship in Edmonton.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting that I get to represent Victoria, but IB次元官网网址檓 also pretty nervous. EverybodyB次元官网网址檚 been super supportive and super excited that IB次元官网网址檓 going. ItB次元官网网址檚 been really nice to have all my coaches working with me to get me prepped for this as much as they possibly can. My momB次元官网网址檚 been pretty supportive about this, and my dad as well and definitely my coach.B次元官网网址�
Hockey player Megan Bouveur, 17, from Victoria is also going to the Games. SheB次元官网网址檚 a forward for Shawnigan Lake School.
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