Comox Valley athletes and other Vancouver Island North participants won 273 medals, including 126 gold, at the recent 55+ BC Games in Vernon — the site of the first event, when it was known as the BC Seniors Games.
Gold medal winners from the Valley include:
Dragon boat racing 55+: Debbi Bender (two golds), Larry Mossman, Dave Hay and May Reimer;
Golf: Grace Coulter, A Event Women 80+ Low Gross;
Swimming: Joan Lightfoot women 70-74, 100m breaststroke; Brian Staton, men 70-74, 400m free, 100m back, 25m free, 50m back, 100m free, 200m free and 3 relays; Jesse Van Muijlwijk, men 55-59, 400m free, 100m breast, 25m breast, 50m breast and 3 relays;
Track and field: Francisco Machado, men 70-74, 200 metres, 300-metre hurdles and 4 x 400 metre relay; Rainer Sillantaus, men 85-89, discus, shot put and javelin; Louise Reed, women 80-84, 400 metres.
About 3,600 competitors took part in the Sept. 12-16 Games.
Kimberley and Cranbrook co-host next year’s event.