The success of Brooke Kienas and the rest of Mission’s athletes at the recent BC Summer Games in Nanaimo was a reminder of just how special the provincial Games initiative is.
Mission, of course, doesn’t have to go back far in its history to recall how such an event can electrify a community – the 2014 BC Winter Games were hosted here in February.
That event involved 1,847 athletes and 1,745 volunteers, and generated $1.6 million in direct economic benefit. That figure rises to $3.2 million when indirect and induced economic factors are included.
The 2014 Summer Games made a similar impression on Nanaimo, where organizers are estimating an economic impact of $2.6 million during the Summer Games.
But the true beauty of the Games isn’t in the dollars and cents – rather, it’s about the friendships formed, the life-long memories made, and the amazing performances authored by the athletes.
Case in point: swimmer Kienas’s incredible seven-medal showing in the pool, which was likely the biggest medal haul by any athlete in Nanaimo. She’s a big fan of Mission’s Olympic swimming star Brent Hayden, a BC Games alum himself, and her medal-magnet performance goes a long way towards fuelling her own Olympic dreams.
Mission’s other two Summer Games athletes, Bryce Mackenzie (two track and field bronze medals) and Cole Barker (gold in rugby) also showed extremely well.
Success on the provincial stage is hard-earned, and thus, supremely sweet. We celebrate with you.
