Fun in the sun for Hat, Cypress athletes
Medicine Hat and Cypress County athletes braved the heat and racked up the medals at the Southern Alberta Summer Games in Brooks this past weekend.
While the host County of Newell won the medal standings (as hosts of the annual event tend to do) with a whopping 328, both Hat and Cypress entries fared well too. Medicine Hat combined for 44 gold, 43 silver and 30 bronze medals (a total of 117) to finish third in the medal standings, while Cypress County had 32 gold, 22 silver and 24 bronze (a total of 78) to wind up seventh.
With most of the athletics medals detailed in Saturday’s News, there were plenty of other big wins from athletes young and old.
Cypress’ Bulldogs under-10 ball hockey team beat the host County of Newell 4-2 for the gold medal Friday. The Bulldogs went 3-1-1 in the tournament, losing their first game but getting better as the event went on. Medicine Hat topped the under-14 co-ed division and a second team was third. Medicine Hat was also silver in under-17 co-ed.
It was a dominant games for Medicine Hat and Cypress’ pickleball players, with Hat players combining for three gold and three silver medals while Cypress players picked up two gold and two bronze.
Cory Streifel won the under-50 men’s doubles with Doug Grimm, then partnered with Ruthmary Hollis for the mixed title. Larry Millington and John Hooft took the 65-plus men’s final over fellow Hatters Tim Jacobs and Lutz Perschon, while Ylonda Jordheim and Judy Perschon won the the 65-plus ladies division. Jacobs and Marcia Garmen took silver in mixed, while Ed and Nancy Dick were second in 51-64 mixed.
Cypress’ Guy Riddell teamed with Yvan Dussault for gold in 51-64 men’s doubles, then got a second gold with Linda Riddell in 65-plus mixed. Diane Dussault and Joan Anheller were third in women’s 51-64 doubles, and Diane teamed with Yvan Dussault for bronze in that age group’s mixed division.
Hat badminton players combined for six medals. Gage Reimer won the boys under-16 title, Stephanie Lidstedt the girls open division and Irvin Rouvic Magwali was third in boys under-18. Teams also took under-18 boys and mixed titles and were third in under14 boys.
In equestrian, Cypress’ Ronna Magotiaux won seven gold, Raina Mapstone and Michaela Bowen two and Madeline Schmatlz, Kearra Borthwick, and Kadince Neigum each won a gold as part of their large medal hauls.
Medicine Hat equestrian members to win gold included Emma Atkinson, Emma Baedke (with two), Rayelle Smith, Jayla May (with four), Kayla Sails (with two), Marlee Jordan and Keanna Milroy.
Jason Storch was the men’s trapshooting champion, edging fellow Cypress competitors Steven Toews (bronze) and Dallas Yanke (fourth). Medicine Hat’s Jack Toews won his 55-and-over division.
CrossFit was also represented at the games, with Medicine Hat’s Sean Swaren winning the men’s division ahead of teammates Raymond Vis (silver) and Jason Labash (bronze). Kevin Heinrich took gold in the 50plus men’s event, while Olivia Callaghan was second in the women’s division.