NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2008OTP0189-001136 July 24, 2008	Office of the Premier Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport BC Games Society
PREMIER HELPS KICK OFF 2008 BC SUMMER GAMES

KELOWNA – Premier Gordon Campbell lit the torch to kick off the 2008 BC Summer Games today, welcoming over 3,000 athletes, coaches and officials to the competition.

 

“The B.C. Summer Games are an incredible showcase of the determination and talent of British Columbia’s youth athletes,” said Premier Campbell. “Thank-you to the thousands of volunteers who give of their time to make this important amateur sporting event possible, and to the City of Kelowna for hosting a first-class event that these young competitors will remember for the rest of their lives. Good luck to all the athletes, and have fun.”

 

The 2008 BC Summer Games run from July 24-27 and will see 2,230 athletes from across the province age 10-20 years old compete at 20 sporting venues throughout Kelowna. More than 2,500 volunteers will contribute hundreds of hours of their time to ensure these games are a success.

 

Athletes will compete in 27 events in 19 sports, including athletics, baseball, softball, basketball, field hockey, rugby, wrestling, soccer, sailing, lacrosse (field and box), golf, volleyball (beach and indoor), triathlon, synchronized swimming, diving, shooting, equestrian, cycling and towed water sports (water skiing, wakeboarding, and barefooting).

 

“These games provide an opportunity for athletes to achieve their personal best and to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to physical fitness and healthy living” said Healthy Living and Sport Minister Mary Polak. “Their efforts and achievements serve as a model and inspiration to us all.”

 

“Knowing the current Olympic and Paralympic teams contain 45 BC Games alumni, it is quite likely we will see the next generation of Olympians come from these Kelowna Games,” said  Kelly Mann, president and CEO of the BC Games Society. “The coaching and support these kids are now getting will mean a new level of excellence at the BC Summer Games.”  

 

The BC Summer Games provide an opportunity for the development of athletes, coaches and officials in preparation for higher levels of competition in a multi-sport event. The competitions promote interest and participation in sport and sporting activities, individual achievement and community development.

 

B.C. spends $2 million annually to support the BC Summer and Winter games - part of the over $40 million invested annually to encourage British Columbians to be physically active and to support our 'performance pathway' for athletes, coaches and the practitioners supporting them.

 

 

 

 

-30-

 

 

Media contact:	Bridgitte Anderson Press Secretary Office of the Premier 604 307-7177	Anne McKinnon Communications Director Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport 250 812-4012
	Lia Threlfall Communications and Event Manager BC Games Society 250 387-4688 250 812-3887 (cell)
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.