Two Revelstoke swimmers are heading to Prince George among almost 900 Special Olympics athletes from across the province competing at this week's BC Summer Games.
Aiming high for the province-wide competition are Yorke Parkin, 16, and Sean Moore, 43, who over the last year have trained weekly among other Revelstoke athletes with disabilities and will now show their stuff Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12.
It's the first provincial summer games in eight years for Special Olympics BC (SOBC), with Parkin and Moore representing Region 2 for Thompson-Okanagan after qualifying for their events in regionals last year.
鈥淲e are so excited to watch Special Olympics BC athletes shine in Prince George, and open hearts and minds to their abilities," Michelle Cruickshank, SOBC's vice-president of sport, said in a release.
If successful enough in their competitions, Parkin and Moore will advance to the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alta. Champions of those events will subsequently head on to the 2027 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile.
This year's BC Summer Games host swimming events on both Friday and Saturday, at the Prince George Aquatic Centre. For Friday, swim competitions run 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with medal ceremonies 1:15 to 2 p.m. and 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, events go 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while medals are awarded 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
In terms of timing for Revelstoke's two athletes, Parkin and Moore compete Friday in preliminary 100-metre breaststroke (2:50 to 3:10 p.m.), with finals Saturday (3:20 to 3:45 p.m.).
On Friday, Parkin also competes in preliminary 50-metre freestyle (9:10 to 9:50 a.m.), 100-metre individual medley (10:45 to 11 a.m.), 50-metre backstroke (11 to 11:40 a.m.) and 50-metre breaststroke (1 to 1:20 p.m.) Finals Saturday are 9:07 to 9:57 a.m. for freestyle, 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. for backstroke and 2:20 to 2:50 p.m. for breaststroke.
For Moore, Friday preliminaries are 10:05 to 10:20 a.m. for 50-metre butterfly and 2 to 2:40 p.m. for 100-metre freestyle, while finals happen Saturday 8 to 8:45 a.m. for freestyle and 10:52 to 11:12 a.m. for butterfly.
But first, things kick off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday when the BC Summer Games' opening ceremony happens at the CN Centre. Among those giving remarks this evening are Lheidli T鈥檈nneh First Nation Chief Dolleen Logan, Elder Darlene McIntosh, Premier David Eby and Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Minister Spencer Chandra Herbert.
鈥淭he Special Olympics BC Summer Games are an inspiring display of the human spirit and the power of sport,鈥� Eby said in the release. 鈥淭hese incredible athletes embody the true meaning of sport through their relentless commitment, support for one another and pure joy in pursuit of their personal best."
All BC Summer Games events are free for the public to attend, and though they aren't being livestreamed for viewers to watch online, coverage will be posted on SOBC's website and social media, according to marketing and communications director Megan Pollock.
Learn more and check for results at .
