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Surrey Seniors shine during 55+ B.C. games in Vernon

55+ athletes from across Surrey won dozens of medals during the 55+ B.C. Games in Vernon.
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Have you ever run five kilometres in under a half hour?

Know any 70-year-olds who have done so?

You might have answered “yes” if you were up in Vernon earlier this month. That’s where the 55+ B.C. Games took place. The games originated in Vernon 30 years ago.

For this 30th anniversary of the games, Surrey athletes cleaned up across the board.

One of those athletes was Lynette Baldock, who brought seven medals (four gold, one silver, two bronze) for various long distance track and field events in the women’s 70 to 74-year-old category

She completed her 1500-metre race in eight minutes and 23 seconds. Surely with that time, she could keep up with most high school students.

Baldock also brought home gold in the 5000-metre race and 10-kilometre race.

Other notable winners from Surrey included Reena Cheetham, who brought home seven gold medals in track events in the women’s 75 to 79-year-old category. Her eight total medals was tied for the most of any Surrey

Her eight total medals were tied with Sheila Allison for the most of any Surrey resident. Allison brought home eight track and field medals in the women’s 70 to 74-year-old category.

In the pool, Surrey had three athletes who brought home at least five medals. Alida Brichon brought home gold in all six of her women’s 75 to 79-year-old swimming events. Celia Hill (women’s 60 to 64 years old) also brought home five gold and one silver.

Maybe the most impressive of all was Johan Carstens. In the men’s 85 to 89-year-old category, Carstens won four gold medals and one silver.

It was raining gold in Surrey for many sports. Athletes from around the city also won gold in sports such as table tennis, soccer, bocce, pickleball, and golf.

To check out all of the results from the four-day event, please visit www.55plusgames.ca/results/



trevor.beggs@surreynowleader.com

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