A new Canada Summer Games record was among the highlights of nearly three dozen Tri-Cities athletes that represented B.C. on the national stage this month.
Coquitlam's Chanell Alexa Botsis now has the longest hammer throw by a female competitor in the event's history after heaving the metal ball at a distance of 61.44 m and a gold medal.
The 24-year-old surpassed the previous record by 16 centimetres (61.28 m).
She recorded her personal best throw of 63.44 m earlier this year at the Canadian national championships as a member of the Kajaks Track and Field Club (Richmond, B.C.)
This was Botsis' second-ever Canada Summer Games after claiming silver five years ago, losing to Port Coquitlam's Kalia Butler at Winnipeg 2017.
Botsis was one of 17 total medals won by 20 Tri-Cities athletes, as individuals or on teams, for the rescheduled Canada Games. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the event held every four years from 2021.
Coquitlam swimmer Peter Huang brought back four medals from the Niagara Falls pool, including two gold and two silver — the most individual hardware won by any athlete from the region.
History was also made in female box lacrosse as five local players helped Team B.C. earn a silver medal in the sport's debut at the Canada Games.
The province finished third overall with 128 medals —34 gold, 51 silver and 43 bronze — behind host Ontario (198) and Quebec (142).
The 17 medals won by Tri-Cities athletes for B.C. are as follows (in alphabetical order by podium finish):
Peter Huang, Coquitlam
- Swimming
- Gold = 200m freestyle
- Gold = 4x100m freestyle relay
- Silver = 200m butterfly
- Silver = 4x200m freestyle relay
Gabriela Cross, Coquitlam
- Wrestling
- Gold = 60 kg individual
- Gold = Team B.C. Female
Chanell Alexa Botsis, Coquitlam
- Athletics
- Gold = Hammer throw (61.44 m)
- New Canada Games record
- Gold = Hammer throw (61.44 m)
Victoria Coady, Coquitlam
- Sailing
- Gold = Single handed Laser Radial
Ethan Posthumus, Coquitlam
- Golf
- Gold = Team B.C. mixed
Box Lacrosse Male
- Gold
- Nathan Chalmers (Coquitlam)
- Cole Kennett (Coquitlam)
- Kalen Murray (Coquitlam)
- Jordan Reed (Coquitlam)
- Nolan Ross (Port Coquitlam)
Box Lacrosse Female
- Silver
- Alyssa Clark (Port Coquitlam)
- Gillian Lapierre (Port Coquitlam)
- Michela Paterson (Coquitlam)
- Kiera Scott (Coquitlam)
- Mariah Whitfield (Port Coquitlam)
Justin Jung, Coquitlam
- Swimming
- Silver = 4x100m mixed medley relay
- Bronze = 200m breaststroke
Connor Attridge, Coquitlam
- Rowing
- Silver = Eight with Coxswain
Emma Dong, Coquitlam
- Tennis
- Silver = Team B.C. mixed
Calib Gruninger, Port Coquitlam
- Athletics
- Silver = 4x100m relay
Jarrett Chong, Port Coquitlam
- Athletics
- Bronze = Javelin (62.97 m)
