Many local athletes left their mark on the Alberta Summer Games in July by bringing home a haul of medals.
Two of those athletes are sisters Danielle and Mallory Brown, who train at the St. Albert Canoe and Kayak Club. The battling Browns brought home nine medals between the two of them for both kayaking and canoeing events. Danielle, age 14, and Mallory, age 13, competed for Zone 5 in 11 events, both individually and as a team.
Before the season started the sisters only competed in sprint kayaking, but earlier this year they were convinced by their coach to try their hand at slalom, downriver and wildwater racing in both kayaking and canoeing. Much to their surprise the girls qualified for the team in all of their events in the spring and began training for the Alberta Summer Games.
“It was a neat experience,” Kelly Brown, the girls’ mother, said. “It’s kind of nice to be able to be part of a number of different events. It’s a nice mix of things.”
The twosome prepared for the events by training and practising at the Kananaskis Canoe Meadows as part of an Alberta Summer Games training camp where they were able to put their new skills to test. The five-year kayak veterans had to get comfortable in a canoe, as they had spent their entire racing careers in kayaks.
When it came time for the races, not everything went swimmingly. During their last competition, their tempers boiled over in the canoe and by the end of the race Danielle refused to paddle after her sister yelled at her.
“As with many sibling teams, the girls fought through the races,” Brown said. “Danielle just gave up, she wasn’t even paddling anymore but they won gold anyways.”
Despite the turmoil, the girls finished the games with six gold medals, one silver and three third place finishes.
With the help of the Brown sisters, Zone 5 wrangled 28 gold medals, 44 silver medals and 33 bronzes from 48 athletes competing in 126 events.
Overall the St. Albert athletes contributed to three different zones and received 14 gold medals, 25 silver medals and 16 bronze medals in their 126 events. Morinville athletes competed in 30 events and scored one gold medal, one silver medal and two third place finishes. Redwater sent just two athletes to compete in soccer and basketball and earned one third place finish and one second place finish.
Amy Nelson of St. Albert, who competed for Zone 6, stood out earning seven first place finishes in all seven of her swimming events. Thomas Peschke competed for Zone 5 and brought home two gold medals in javelin and discus throw events, and placed second in the 15 and Under Male Medley Relay.
For a full list of athletes and results please visit the summer games website at www.albertagames.com
