Members of Team Kelowna brought home two medals from the 2016 International Children’s Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
Cameron Janssen won a silver medal in the biathlon mixed team event, while Ainsley Macdonald won a bronze in girls freestyle skiing.
Seventeen athletes from Kelowna, between the ages of 12 and 15, competed at games from Jan. 12 and 16 in Innsbruck.
• Alpine skiers—Alex Baldassare, Hallie Jenkins, Anthony Kurkjian, Luke McMillan and Cara Shaw.
• Freestyle Skiers—Owen Brunt, Blaise D’Alberthanson, Ainsley Macdonald and Jyssica Heiss
• Cross-country skiers—Clara Dickieson, Oliver Eisele, Sally Haaheim and Grayson McKinnon.
• Biathletes—Makenna Banser, Kira Friesen, Cameron Janssen and Rory Hay.
Supporting them at the Games were their coaches—Steve Lewandowksi, Trevor Haaheim, Ross McKinnon, Andrew Hay and Lorraine Friesen.
“Team Kelowna athletes were a success at this major international sporting event with many doing personal bests and placing in the top 10, proving that our young Kelowna athletes can compete well at the international level,” said Heather Schneider, the head of Kelowna’s delegation.
The International Children’s Games is the largest multi-sport youth games in the world and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Kelowna is one of few cities to have won medals at both Summer and Winter International Children’s Games. With the addition of two more, the Kelowna medal count is now 16 (four gold, six silver and six bronze) since first participating in the 2011 Winter Games which was hosted by Kelowna.
