Lochlan Rogers of Qualicum Beach made a huge splash at the BC Summer Games.
The member of the Ravensong Breakers swim club collected six gold medals after finishing first in the boys 50m, 100m and 200 freestyle. and also in the 20-m individual medley. The 13-year-old’s fifth and sixth gold medals were with the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 team in the 4 x 50-m freestyle relay and in the 4 x 50-m medley relay. He came in fourth in the 200-m breaststroke and was sixth in the 100-m breaststroke.
Head coach of the Ravensong Breakers, Byron Trajan, praised Rogers’ multiple gold achievements at the games that had close to 2,500 athletes from across British Columbia competing against each other in various sports discipline.
“Lochlan had some really good swims,” said Trajan. “While I’m always impressed with his performances, I’m not suprised he did well. He and his teammates are having fun, working hard, constantly improving their technique and doing dryland and cross training outside the pool. It’s fun coaching such a great group of kids who embrace an active and healthy lifestyle.”
The 2018 BC Games closed down with Vancouver Island-Coast Zone 6 emerging the overall champions of the sporting extravaganza. Parksville Qualicum Beach and area athletes such as Rogers contributed to the success of Zone 6.
Special Olympian Clara Kodweiss of Qualicum Beach took home two gold medals in 100-m individual medley and 200-m freestyle and had two silver medal finishes in the 100-m backstroke and 50-m butterfly.
Another Qualicum Beach Special Olympian, Shayne Blandin of Qualicum Beach won four medals. She landed a silver in the Special Olympics female 50-m freestyle and garnered three bronze medals in the100-m backstroke, 100-m freestyle and 50-m butterfly.
In a different kind of water sports, Nanoose Bay’s Maxwell Jeffery was a double gold medalists when he finished first in both the boys 10-3 wakeboarding and wakeskate competitions. He also finished fifth in the slalom.
Jamieson Brenden of Parksville collected a gold medal with the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 lacrosse team.
Nanoose Bay athlete, Tegan Jeffery, won a silver medal in the girls 14-17 wakeboarding. She came in fourth in the wakeskate event.
In synchronized swimming, Parksville’s Sydney Waldie and Pascha Nemlander both won a silver medal with the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 team that consisted of swimmers from Victoria, Nanaimo, and Duncan.
In equestrian, Gracie O’Connell of Parksville helped the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 equestrian team land a silver medal and she also won a bronze in the boys/girls jumper day 2. She placed fifth in jumper day 3, and was sixth in jumper day 1.
In athletics, Luke Hubner of Qualicum Beach won a bronze medal in the boys F1 Triathlon, but just missed winning two more bronzes when he placed fourth in the duathlon and in the super sprint triathlon. He also finished seventh in the aquathlon.
Samuel Morrison of Nanoose Bay came close to winning a bronze when finished fourth in the boys 1,500-m race walk. He was 18th in the boys discus.
Other District 69 medalists include Joshua Jeffers of Nanoose Bay who won a silver in the sailing competition. Mathew Grimes of Qualicum Beach and Gavin Knight of Parksville won a silver with the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 golf team team. Knight finished sixth in the boys final while Grimes ended up in ninth place.
Swimmer Veronica Hall of Parksville finished fifth in the girls 200-m butterfly, 8th in the 800-m freestyle, 12th in the 400-m individual medley, 17th in the 100-m butterfly and 28th in the 100-m freestyle.
Cassidy Kellow played with the Vancouver island-Central Coast Zone 6 softball team that finished sixth overall.