Todd Oishi competes internationally in the sport of fly fishing. (THE NEWS files)

Todd Oishi competes internationally in the sport of fly fishing. (THE NEWS files)

B.C. angler wins Commonwealth fly fishing silver medal

Maple Ridge's Oishi medals at international competition

sports@mapleridgenews.com

Maple Ridge fisherman Todd Oishi brought home a silver medal from the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships.

The event took place in the first week of September in Omagh, Northern Ireland, as 15 teams of 82 competitors angled for first place.

The competition consisted of five, three-hour sessions of fly fishing held over three days, on two river and three lake venues.

Oishi and Team Canada finished in second place overall. Although Canada had won gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Championship in Quebec, this week’s silver medal finish was a significant achievement, he said, as it was a back-to-back podium finish, and the first time that they have won a team medal on foreign soil.

As expected, the hometown team Northern Ireland won the gold medal. Team Scotland finished in third place for the bronze.

The silver medal is Oishi’s fourth international medal earned on foreign soil (three gold and a silver). He has been competing as a member of Canada’s national fly fishing teams since 2005 and is currently ranked number one in Canada on the 2018 national ranking point leader board for Canadian competitors.

Maple Ridge News