Several local athletes have topped the list as some of the best in B.C.
Spallumcheen’s own Ina Forrest, wheelchair curler, has been named in Sport BC’s 55th annual Athlete of the Year Awards, under the Athlete with a Disability Category.
“A great honour with all the amazing B.C. athletes that have also been identified as finalists,” Forrest said, after being surprised with the news while away at a training camp in Ontario.
Forrest is currently sweeping up on her skills ahead of playing for Team Canada in the World Championships in Richmond March 4-12.
“It will be awesome to be back in Canada for Worlds,” said Forrest, as they haven’t been in B.C. since 2009. “We are all excited to be playing at home.”
Lloyd Polack of Vernon, an archer, is up for Master Athlete of the Year.
Kelowna-Vernon golfer Cooper Humphreys is a finalist for Junior Male Athlete of the Year
High School Male Athlete of the Year award has Kelowna volleyball star Walker Sodaro among the finalists.
Each are one of five awarded in their category, who will be celebrated at a ceremony March 9 in Vancouver.
Each finalist was nominated by their provincial or multi-sport organization, high school, college, or university. The selection committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.
An additional six awards will be presented at the ceremony including the Best of BC, KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award and In Her Footsteps Honourees.
“The Athlete of the Year Awards is a true celebration of sport in our province. The finalists listed below will be honoured at the event and represent exceptional efforts and accomplishments in 2021 and 2022. We congratulate our finalists and the organizations they represent,” said Sport BC president and CEO Rob Newman. “The finalists represent 29 sports from communities all throughout BC demonstrating the collective strength of our province’s sport sector.”
Athlete with a Disability
Kady Dandeneau - Wheelchair Basketball
Ina Forrest - Curling
Mollie Jepsen - Para Alpine
Mel Pemble - Cycling
Tyler Turner - Wheelchair Snowboard
College Athlete of the Year
Cameron Gay (Vancouver Island University) – Basketball
Yevgeniya (Jane) Lytvynenko (Vancouver Island University) – Volleyball
Vitor Pereira (Camosun College) – Volleyball
Thomas Venos (University of Alabama) – Wheelchair Tennis
Clair Ye (Capilano College) - Soccer
Female Coach of the Year
Malindi Elmore - Athletics
Barb Fraser – Gymnastics
Jane Gumley – Rowing
Bev Priestman – Soccer
Brit Townsend - Athletics
Male Coach of the Year
Trevor Hirschfield – Wheelchair Rugby
Chris MacDonald - Golf
Tommy McLeod – Diving
Laurier Primeau – Athletics
Mostafa Sabeti - Wushu
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Lauren Clements (Terry Fox) – Basketball
Maella Hodgson (Elgin Park) – Athletics
Rupinder Johal (Robert Bateman) – Wrestling
Marina Rodocaj (R.A. McMath) – Volleyball
Rory Rothnie (Claremont) – Lacrosse
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Laon Kim (Gleneagle) – Swimming
Walker Sodaro (Kelowna) – Volleyball
Logan Thiessen (Robert Bateman) – Football
Aidan Turner (South Delta) – Athletics
Jimmy Zaborniak (Burnaby South) - Basketball
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Renee Batalla – Diving
Oonah Gamboa, Karate
Gracey Hemstreet, Cycling
Lauren Kim, Golf
Alice Zhang, Ultimate
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Praise Aniamaka – Athletics
Connor Bedard – Ice Hockey
Jackson Gladstone, Cycling
Cooper Humphreys, Golf
Nikola Petrovic – Judo
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Julia Grosso – Soccer
Camryn Rogers – Athletics
Marielle Thompson – Alpine
Avalon Wasteneys – Rowing
Micah Zandee-Hart – Ice Hockey
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Jack Crawford – Alpine
Amar Dhesi – Wrestling
Evan Dunfee – Athletics
Brent Hayden – Swimming
Derek Mayson – Softball
University Athlete of the Year
Aaron Ahl (Simon Fraser University) Athletics
Alison Andrews-Paul (Simon Fraser University) Athletics
Derek Epp (Trinity Western University) Volleyball
Kent Johnson (University of Michigan) Ice Hockey
Anna Mollenhauer – (University of Victoria) Field Hockey
Team of the Year
BC Rugby 7s – Women’s Canada Summer Games Team
Langley Rams Football Team
Trinity Western Women’s Volleyball Team
UBC Women’s Golf Team
UVIC Women’s Field Hockey Team
Master Athlete of the Year
Christa Bortignon – Athletics
Uli Mayer – Cycling
Lloyd Polack – Archery
Shelly Stouffer – Golf
Derek Tripp - Triathlon
Official of the Year
Anne Bees – Tennis
Gordon Bennett – Gymnastics
Kevin Bowie – Wheelchair Rugby
Michael Campbell – Ice Hockey
Janice Hunter – Figure Skating
READ MORE: Bronze finish for North Okanagan’s wheelchair curling Paralympian
READ MORE: TRU Wolfpack snare ‘blue chip’ recruit Sodaro of Kelowna Owls
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