Special Olympics B.C. runs on a four year cycle of regional, provincial, national and world competition. 2012 brought the regional competitions and summer 2013, the provincial competitions in Langley.
As one five pin bowling team from the South Okanagan local won first place at the regional qualifiers in Kelowna in 2012, the team advanced to provincials in July 2013. Teams members included Angela Flannigan, Bobby Brimacombe, Zoli Kovacs, Maureen Schofield, Wayne Bierbaum, and Alberto Holz. Sadly, Maureen lost her valiant fight with cancer earlier this year and was not replaced on the team. A photo of Maureen was carried during the opening ceremonies and each South Okanagan athlete wore the letter “M” on his/her shirt to honour Maureen and her parents.
As Wayne Bierbaum qualified for both aquatics and five pin bowling, he was asked to select which sport in which he wished to participate in summer games, Wayne chose aquatics, and was replaced on the team by Oliver resident Zoli Kovacs.
Randeep Bring won bocce singles at the 2012 qualifier, so she advanced to bocce singles in Langley.
Stephen Lee and Terri Ardiel (from Oliver) were five pin bowlers invited to participate in summer games as part of Summerland and Kelowa teams, respectively.
After a bus trip from Penticton to Langley, athletes has the opportunity to participate in their chosen sport Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13, 2013.
In the end, Oliver’s Wayne Bierbaum proudly wore three bronze medals for the 25m and 50m backstroke and the 50m freestyle, Randeep Bring (of Oyoyoos) won a bronze medal for bocce, Oliver resident, Stephen Lee, won a silver medal for five pin bowling as part of the Summerland team and Osoyoos’s Alberto Holz won an individual gold medal for bowling the most pins over average, five pin bowling, for the games.
It was an honour for all the athletes to be invited to participate in the summer games. We are proud of their efforts, behaviour, and of their embracing the Special Olympics motto “Let me win but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.”
Picture by Lee Chic – Bob Brimacombe, Wayne Bierbaum and Terry Ardiel