Fourteen-year-old Evan Szabo, controls his breathing, focuses and squeezes the trigger.

After grinding his arms and legs across snowy terrain as fast as they will take them, he stops, lies down and forces his body to quell its thirst for oxygen before firing again.

The Grade 9 student has become so adept at the process, the biathlete set his sights on the B.C. Winter Games, and found his mark.

B次元官网网址淚 am really excited about it, I hope to win a medalB次元官网网址� said Szabo, a John Stubbs Memorial school student. B次元官网网址淚 really want to use my skills and use my experience and place. If I do, that would be huge but I want to enjoy myself as well.B次元官网网址�

Once used as training for the Norwegian army, the sport combines the athleticism of cross-country skiing and the mental fortitude of shooting targets after vigorous exercis.

Two years after discovering the hybrid sport in cadets, Szabo continues to relish training time at Mt. Washington, where he makes the trek most weekends during the snowy season. ItB次元官网网址檚 a sport he has passion for, but sometimes has to explain to others what itB次元官网网址檚 all about.

B次元官网网址淚t is a different sport, not many people know about it, (but) itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of fun,B次元官网网址� said Szabo who is also delivers the Goldstream Gazette newspaper. B次元官网网址淏ut it is really quite physically demanding.B次元官网网址�

Even more so for someone still relatively new to the sport, his athleticism trumped his lack of experience, carrying him through the provincialB次元官网网址檚 where he qualified for the B.C. Winter Games as the youngest competitor in his category.

Today and Saturday heB次元官网网址檒l be in Vernon for the games alongside four other Vancouver Island biathletes, including teammate Paige Johnston.

B次元官网网址淚t takes a lot of dedication, if you are not dedicated you arenB次元官网网址檛 really going to fit,B次元官网网址� the 15-year-old Belmont student said. B次元官网网址�(Representing Victoria) is a huge honour and not something you can do very often. This is the last year I can go to the B.C. Winter Games so I am really excited about it.B次元官网网址�

While excitement and nerves are also there for Szabo, the sport itself has prepared him well for the tasks he believes are as much mental as they are physical.

B次元官网网址淲hen you ski it is go, go, go. When you go to the range you have a mental checklist,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 slow down, take really deep breaths ... load, breath two more breaths, stop breathing B次元官网网址� and shoot.B次元官网网址�

Despite being quite a few years away from making any decisions on his future as a biathlete, he would welcome the opportunity to one day represent Canada on the Olympic stage. But for now he is happy with pursuing what he loves to do.

B次元官网网址淚 need to play sports, I need to exercise otherwise my brain doesnB次元官网网址檛 work,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t is a passion.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com