National games happen once every four years for Special Olympians.
It's a rare event and just to make it that far athletes are required to qualify the previous year at the provincial championships. Their climb to national status started two years ago when they made the cut at the regional level.
The 2020 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games took place last weekend in Thunder Bay, Ont., and three athletes from Prince George returned home Sunday clutching medals.
Audrey Nelson was part of a Prince George team that placed eighth in the team event, and as an individual on the five-pin lanes she won a silver medal. Debbie Bileck just missed the individual medal podium, finishing fourth, while Danielle Cavenaille and Mathew Brewer each finished sixth and Adam Spokes ended up seventh.
In cross-country skiing, Josh Pudney put his experience to work as a two-time national games qualifier and won gold 2.5-kilometre event, also placing fourth in the five km race. Danny Lafreniere, also a national games veteran, was a gold medalist in the five km race and finished fifth in the 2.5 km.
Barbie Conway competed in three distances on the cross-country trails, finishing fourth in the 500-metre sprint and 2.5 km event, and she was sixth in the one km race.
In curling, Sam Russell of Prince George joined forces with the Team BC Kingfishers, based in Kitimat, and together they rocked to sixth-place finish.
To be Special Olympians takes dedication and perseverance and all of the athletes who represented Prince George last week in Thunder Bay have been training a minimum of three times per week for the past three years. The event is a qualifier for the 2021 Special Olympic World Winter Games in Ostersund, Sweden, Feb. 2-13, 20121.
The competitions give athletes with intellectual difficulties a goal to achieve. Their roles as Special Olympians build confidence and establish pride while also encouraging social skills and creating opportunities to develop friendships.
The five-day eight-sport event in Thunder Bay involved about 1,200 athletes, coaches and officials. B.C. was represented by 143 athletes, 42 volunteer coaches and 13 mission staff from 42 communities.
