Taylor Kim has led Team BC to a pair of gold medals in the female golf competition at the Canada Summer Gamaes in Sherbrooke, Que.
The 18-year-old from Surrey easily won the individual competition, snaring first place and a gold medal with a five-stroke margin over the runner-up. Kim, a member of the Team Canada Development squad, finished at five-under par over the four rounds, shooting 72-73-76-71.
She had the low score in three rounds, and finished with a two-under-par 71 on the final day that included four birdies and was the best round of the tournament.
“It feels great to win,” said Kim following her round. “I felt really confident coming into today and I knew I could swing really well so I just trusted myself. From the start I felt confident that I could win the gold.”
Paced by Kim’s scores, Team BC easily won the gold in team competition, finishing 17 strokes ahead of runner-up Quebec. Alix Kong, 17, of West Vancouver and Naomi Ko, 15, of Colwood were the other Team BC members.
“I’m really happy for all of my teammates,” said Kim. “Naomi and Alix played great this week and we did what we needed to do to win. Rob and our manager Michaela really helped us a lot as well.”
Other local athletes to fare well at the Games – which wrapped up Aug. 17 – include:
Athletics
Django Lovett won the gold medal in the high jump. He tied with Al Mansaray of Alberta at 2.14-m, but won a tiebreaker.
Sam Kennedy, a graduate of Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, won the silver medal in the women’s hammer throw.
Adam Paul-Morris, 20, shared a silver medal. He ran for Team BC in the men’s 4x400-m relay Friday night. Team BC qualified with the fastest time at 3:14.91, and despite a 3:09.30 in the final, finished second to Ontario.
Justin Kent won a bronze medal in the men’s 3,000-m steeplechase Tuesday night. The Kwantlen Park Secondary graduate finished in 9:10.89, 12 seconds behind the winner.
Robbie Gallaugher, 22, also won a bronze medal. His leap of 7.17-m left him behind only two of 21 competitors. Gallaugher, also a Lord Tweedsmuir grad, was part of the provincial team which placed eighth in the 4x100 relay Thursday night.
Riley Van Ryswyk, 19, placed fourth in the men’s pole vault, as did Kathryn Van Ryswyk, an 18-year-old who will compete next year at the University of Alberta, in the women’s pole vault.
South Surrey runner Meghan Palesch – like both van Ryswyks a member of Ocean Athletics Track Club – also had a fourth-place finish, in the 400-m hurdles, while picking up a silver medal in the 4x400 relay.
Sebastian Adugalski, also a member of Ocean Athletics, placed second in the ‘B’ final of the 400-m hurdles.
Cycling
White Rock’s Tessa Pinckston won a bronze medal in the women’s points criterium Saturday – finishing with 12 points, three back of the gold and silver medallists, who tied with 15 – and also placed eighth in the women’s road race.
In the road race, Pinckston was the top B.C. rider.
“It was tough,” she said after the road race, which was dominated by Team Quebec, which had five riders in the top eight.
“It just comes down to the fact that the Quebec riders are stronger and have more experience than me. This is my first year (competing) in a full season, but it was a great experience.”
Soccer
Nicholas Pineda-Graham, 18, was the lone Surrey player on the Team BC squad which won a silver medal. Team BC lost 2-0 to Quebec in the final.
During the first week of the Canada Games, B.C.’s girls team won gold with a 3-2 win over Quebec.
White Rock goalkeeper Julia McDonald – one of a handful of local players on the roster – was in net for each of Team BC’s wins.
Beach volleyball
Ben Chow of Surrey and Coquitlam’s Dan Caverly dominated the competition to win the gold medal in men’s competition.
The Team BC duo didn’t lose a set until the gold-medal match, where they topped Ontario 21-18, 15-51 15-12. They swept five round-robin and one playoff match in straight sets.
Rowing
Hillary Janssens teamed with Kelly Jackson of Richmond to win the gold medal in the female pair category.
The duo won the six-team final Friday – their time of 7:30.95 was 23 seconds better than the second-fastest team.
Janssens also won a gold medal as a member of Team BC in the eight-with-coxswain final.
– with files from Nick Greenizan