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Okanagan Olympian chosen as honourary Team B.C. captain

Justin Kripps has been chosen as the Team B.C. honorary captain for the 2019 Canada Winter Games
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Olympic medalist Justin Kripps signs autographs. Mark Brett/Western News

Olympian and Team B.C. alum, Justin Kripps, has been chosen as the Team B.C. honorary captain for the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Kripps, from Summerland, is the reigning Olympic co-champion in two man bobsleigh following his gold medal win at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. He is also a Canada Games alum, having competed in the 2005 Summer Games in the sport of athletics.

Related: Kripps wins gold in bobsleigh

“Competing for Team B.C. at the Canada Games was the biggest event I had been to at that point in my career. All of a sudden you are at a national multi-sport Games and you are representing not just yourself and your hometown but your entire province,” said Kripps in a news release. “Canada Games is the experience of a lifetime. It will probably be the biggest event you have been to at this point. Enjoy the experience and go out there and do your best.”

After the 2005 Canada Summer Games, Kripps went on to compete at Simon Fraser University where he led the four by 100-metre team to All-American honours and a school record at the 2005 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. Kripps then entered bobsleigh as he saw it as a mix of track and field and race car driving.

Related: B.C. superfans soak in PyeongChang Olympics

The 2019 Canada Winter Games will kick off in Red Deer in under 100 days, and Team B.C. athletes are training hard to be ready for top performances. Kripps, who also has won a silver medal in the two-man bobsleigh event at the 2017 World Championship, a bronze in the mixed team event at the 2012 World Championship and the 2017-18 Crystal Globe after finishing the season in first in the two-man and overall, will share his experiences and advice with Team B.C. athletes to help inspire and motivate them to have their best performances at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Related: Olympic gold medallist returns to Summerland

“Justin’s success in bobsleigh is such an inspiration to so many of our athletes. He has shown that competing for Team B.C. propels you to the top of the podium internationally and he allows us to see that success in one sport crosses over to podium finishes in another,” said Jennifer Scott, Chef de Mission, Team B.C.

The Canada Games are a national multi-sport competition with participation from every province and territory in Canada. The Games are held every two years, alternating between winter and summer. The 2019 Canada Winter Games will be held Feb. 15 to March 3 in Red Deer, bringing together approximately 3,600 athletes, coaches and managers from every province and territory to compete in 19 sports.

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