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West Kootenay seniors collect gold at games

Two athletes rack up seven gold medals between them
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Cheryl Closkey set a new Canadian Indoor Meet record with a weight throw of 10.44m. Photo submitted

Two West Kootenay senior athletes excelled at the Canadian Masters Track and Field Indoor Championship held the first week in March.

Held at the Universiade Pavilion in Edmonton, fondly referred to as the Butterdome because of its yellow colour, the meet saw 216 athletes compete over three days.

Cheryl Closkey of Castlegar and Don Currie of Slocan returned with seven gold medals, Closkey with two and Currie with five. Closkey threw for gold in the two throwing events offered, shot put and weight throw. Currie won gold in five running events ranging in distance from 50 m to 1,500 m.

Closkey set a new Canadian Indoor Meet record with a weight throw of 10.44 m, breaking the record of 10.21 m she set last year.

Currie tied the Canadian Indoor record in the 800 m run with a time of 4:20:78 and set a BC record in the 1,500 m, running 8:47:14.

In training

Closkey is now training for seven more events this year starting with the Dylan Armstrong Track Classic, Kamloops the first week in May. Currie is planning four more events with his next on the last weekend in March at the Van Ryswyk Meet in Kamloops. Both will culminate their season at the 55+ BC Games.

Both are members of the Zone 6, BC Senior Games team that competes annually at the 55+ BC Games. This year’s games will be held in Kelowna, Sept. 10 to 14 with 32 different sports including track and field.

Zone 6 is actively seeking more participants in track and field and the other 31 sports. For more information on each sport log on to the 55+ BC Games website at 55plusbcgames.org .

Track and field at the Games includes running events from 50 m to 5,000 m including hurdles, all jumping events from long jump to pole vault, and six throwing events from shot put and discus to hammer and weight throw. Athletes compete in five year age groups from 55 to 100-plus.

If you are interested in competing for the challenge, fun, and camaraderie in running, jumping or throwing events contact Gord Gibson at 250-365-5381.

Even if you have never tried it before, they can offer expert coaching to introduce the sport and improve your results.

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Don Currie competed and won Gold in five running events. Photo submitted