Nanaimo and Lantzville athletes win with Team B.C. at Canada Games

Nanaimo and Lantzville athletes not only represented their province at the Canada Summer Games, they helped B.C. win gold.

Seven local youths were in St. John’s, N.L., this month for the Canada Summer Games, held Aug. 8-25.

Some of the best results came on the baseball diamond, where Team B.C.’s boys won gold, defeating Quebec 2-2 in the championship game Aug. 16. Nanaimo’s Ty McWhinnie was the winning pitcher in the gold-medal game, allowing two hits over four innings of work, and Madden Peters also contributed.

Also for baseball, Lucy Gutierrez and Jessica Slater helped Team B.C. win bronze, finishing strong with a 10-1 victory over Nova Scotia in the bronze-medal game Aug. 24. Slater had two hits and two RBIs while Gutierrez had two hits and scored two runs.

In the lacrosse box, Azure Turner helped Team B.C. to a 4-2 win in the gold-medal game against Alberta on Aug. 15. Turner scored what ended up being the game-winning goal in a 7-1 semifinal victory against Nova Scotia the day before.

Nanaimo’s other medal winner at the Canada Summer Games was basketball player Joe Linder, who was part of Team B.C.’s bronze-medal-winning squad. Linder contributed five points in 2-for-3 shooting as B.C. beat Quebec 72-69 on Aug. 16.

Also competing at the Canada Games was pole vaulter Sonya Urbanowicz.

Adam van Kouverdon, Canada’s secretary of state for sport, congratulated the participating athletes and thanked volunteers and organizers for their time and dedication.

“The Games have created lasting memories for participants across the country and serve as a powerful reminder of the countless benefits of sport, physical activity and an active lifestyle for all Canadians,” he said in a press release.