Courtenay’s Robbie Thompson won three gold medals — two in cycling and one in swimming — at the Canadian Transplant Games last week in Vancouver. Events were held at UBC.
A double heart transplant recipient, the 20-year-old Thompson won the five-kilometre cycle time trial, 20k road race and the 50m backstroke in the 20-29 male division. He added a silver medal in the 50m freestyle swim.
But as he has said in previous interviews, the Games are more about celebrating life than competing for medals.
“It was just a lot of fun,” he said.
This was the fourth Canadian Transplant Games for Thompson, who competed at the 2009 World Transplant Games in Australia.
“It’s been quite the ride,” said Thompson, who might attend next year’s world event in Newcastle, England.
Along with cycling and swimming, Thompson has also competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing.
“I had to stop because of a muscle disease we’re still investigating right now. At first we thought it was muscular dystrophy, but they don’t know what it is now.
“Just moving along,” he added. “I haven’t died from it yet, so it’s probably fine.”
After volunteering at Vancouver Island MusicFest, Thompson will move to Nanaimo to attend university. He comes home in September for the annual charity slopitch tournament in his name at Lewis Park.