This story is part of Black Press Media鈥檚 2019 Year in Review. Celebrate the end of a decade by taking a look back through our top stories by clicking here.
In 2019, British Columbian athletes proved that obstacles could be surmounted with a certain level of mental toughness.
Oftentimes, transparency and openness of one鈥檚 sport is what provide鈥檚 that level of mental toughness for athletes.
To round out the year, Black Press Media took a look back at athletes 鈥� of all ages 鈥� who overcame barriers and hardship with the same level of passion and resilience they bring to their sport.
These are the most inspirational sports stories from around the province in 2019:
Classical music and kickboxing help woman overcome learning disorders
Lindsey Christian-Hack started taking lessons in violin and kickboxing at the age of 7. The activities were picked by her mother 鈥� not out of want to expand her horizons, but to help Lindsey cope with her several learning disabilities. The Salmon Arm resident is now offering private lessons in two very different fields. Read more >
Parksville swimmer shatters four world records
Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett, 16, continued to make a strong case for a spot on Team Canada for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, after shattering four world short-course records at the International de Noel meet in Montreal. Read more >
Tofino鈥檚 Mathea Dempfle-Olin with historic medal for Canada
Tofino鈥檚 16-year-old sensation Mathea Dempfle-Olin claimed bronze in the women鈥檚 longboard competition, which took place at the world-renowned point break of Punta Rocas, south of Lima鈥檚 city centre in Punta Negra.
鈥淎t the moment I鈥檓 definitely a little bit bummed,鈥� Olin said, fighting back tears. 鈥淏ut I think when I go home and look at the big picture, I鈥檒l be pretty happy.鈥� Read more >
Disabled athletes paddle and bike from Revelstoke to Nelson
Two athletes paddled and biked from Revelstoke to Nelson with a catch: they have severe spinal cord injuries and cannot walk.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 make it through one Netflix show. I鈥檇 rather be outside,鈥� said Ethan Krueger, one of the athletes participating. Ethan Krueger along with Tanelle Bolt left Revelstoke on July 2, with a goal of reaching Nelson in 10 days. Read more >
Ultramarathon runner Carter Hawke follows in father鈥檚 footsteps
When Carter Hawke was 15 years old, he would run for stretches alongside his dad, Ferg, as the elder Hawke completed the gruelling Badwater Ultramarathon 鈥� billed as the world鈥檚 most difficult footrace 鈥� in the blistering summer heat of Death Valley, Calif.
This year, the Semiahmoo Peninsula resident took home a third-place finish at the Whistler Alpine Meadows event. Read more >
Concussions end Trail鈥檚 Kyle Chernenkoff鈥檚 career, open doors behind the bench
Trail Smoke Eaters veteran defenceman Kyle Chernenkoff鈥檚 playing career came to an abrupt end this year, but the Smoke Eaters did all they could to help soften the blow. Read more >
Terrace Indigenous skater takes front page of US magazine
Gitxsan-Tsimshian member Teysean Angeline Henry, 15, was featured on the front cover of Native Hoop, a popular US magazine showcasing Indigenous success. Read more >
Whitecaps inform police of allegations against South Surrey coach after more players come forward
A number of formers players on Canada鈥檚 national women鈥檚 soccer program released details in April of abuse allegations against a Vancouver Whitecaps coach.
鈥淲e come forward 10 years later because: some of us didn鈥檛 know he was still coaching, and we all look back at our experience with Canada Soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps and think the situation should have been handled differently,鈥� a joint statement from 13 former members said. Read more >
The best of Canucks sports reporter Jason Botchford
He wasn鈥檛 an athlete but Jason Botchford was synonymous with the Vancouver Canucks. He died at the age of 48 and was widely known for his Canucks post-game reports, first called 鈥淭he Provies,鈥� then 鈥淭he Athletties.鈥�
His reporting provided edgy, insightful commentary and a unique, zany approach. Read more >
Trail鈥檚 Katie Yuris recieves BC Hockey Coach of the Year
Katie Yuris became just the second woman to win BC Hockey Coach of the Year, since its inception in 1979-80. She joins Christine Gardiner, who received the honour in 1996. She also joins 2012-13 recipient Ken Koshey and 1999 recipient Mike Mondin as the only Trail coaches awarded the honour. Read more >
Former hockey pro, Jim Lessard, recovering on and off the ice
Now a resident of Prince Rupert, Lessard had carved out a successful hockey career for himself, playing across Canada and the United States. When an injury ended his career, however, Lessard fell into a spiral that took him the last 20 years to emerge from. Read more >
Olympic skier from Nanaimo suing Alpine Canada after coach鈥檚 sex offences
Allison Forsyth, who competed in the 2002 Winter Games, sought to become the representative plaintiff of a certified class of former elite skiers who claim they were psychologically, physically and sexually assaulted, harassed and abused by their coach, Bertrand Charest, while they were members of the Canada鈥檚 national junior skiing team. Read more >
NHL goaltender Carey Price comforts young fan who lost mom to cancer
The family of a young boy who lost his mom to cancer said words cannot described their gratitude for the kindness shown by Montreal Canadiens netminder and Anahim Lake鈥檚 Carey Price after an emotional meeting between the two earlier this year. Read more >
NHL honours Aldergrove athlete and grandmother鈥檚 鈥榝ight鈥� against cancer in special match
Born and raised in Aldergrove, Las Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Shea Theodore battled the San Jose Sharks in a special 鈥淗ockey Fights Cancer鈥� match.
Theodore, now a survivor, continues to curb the stigma surrounding men鈥檚 testicular health both on and off the ice. Along the way, he鈥檚 been accompanied in the fight against cancer by another member of his family, his grandmother Kay Darlington. Read more >
Going by electric car: Revelstoke adventurer does 100 summits without fossil fuels
In 2006, Greg Hill set a world record of 50,000 ft in 24 hours. In 2010 he climbed and skied 2 million vertical ft in a year. In 2014, he did 330,000 ft in a month.
But this year included a special accomplishment to add to Hill鈥檚 growing list: adventuring sustainably.
鈥淚f I was just to have done ten summits, it鈥檚 like 鈥榦h, maybe he just got lucky,鈥� but it you do 100 ventures it鈥檚 proof that it works,鈥� Hill said. Read more >
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