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Special Olympic bowlers strike gold

Athletes from Saanich and Esquimalt reach podium at Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships
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A trio of Greater Victoria athletes bowled over the competition at a Special Olympics national championship earlier this month.

Russell Morfitt and Tanya Steinhausen from Saanich along with Esquimalt’s Patrick Reid all reached the podium for 10-pin bowling during the Special Olympics Canada Bowling Championships, May 15 to 19 in Prince Edward Island.

Reid won a gold medal in the overall event, a silver medal in the individual event, finished fourth in the doubles event, and sixth in the team event. Steinhausen won a gold medal in the individual event, a bronze medal in the team event, finished fifth in the overall event, and eighth in the doubles event. Morfitt won a bronze medal in the individual event, finished sixth in the team event, and fourth in the doubles and overall events.

“Team BC bowlers trained hard for the bowling championships, and it was inspiring to see their work pay off,” says Leslie Thornley, Team BC 2018 chef de mission. “Along with achieving an impressive medal count, they recorded many personal bests, made new friends from across the country, and created wonderful memories.”

Team BC won 31 medals at the championships. The bowling contingent of Team BC is comprised of 56 athletes with intellectual disabilities, 12 coaches and three mission staff members, representing 23 communities across the province.

Team BC 2018 athletes from nine other sports will represent the province at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Antigonish, N.S. from July 31 to Aug. 4.


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Patrick Reid won a gold medal in the overall event, a silver medal in the individual event, finished fourth in the doubles event, and sixth in the team event. (Special Olympics photo)
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Tanya Steinhausen won a gold medal in the individual event, a bronze medal in the team event, finished fifth in the overall event, and eighth in the doubles event. (Special Olympics photo)