The 2022 Canada 55+ Games in Kamloops was a huge success for Strathmore, as we saw four community members make it to the podium! Steve Wiewel, Marianne Pinchbeck, Joss Binns, and Karen Binns all made the podium for their respective events.

Wiewel impressed with his swimming skills, as he earned four medals! He got two silvers for 50 metre and 100 metre backstroke, and two golds for 50 metre and 100 metre freestyle in the 65-79 age group. While winning all the medals was nice, Wiewel said the 100 metre freestyle was extra special.

"I was quite pleased, I felt good about my races, especially about the 100 metre freestyle because when I looked back at the history of the games I was four seconds off the games record for my age group. And that person was a past Olympic swimmer for a European country at one point in his career. So I felt pretty good about that gold in particular. I don't think I swam faster than at these games, so it was good."

Pinchbeck earned a silver medal in low gross score golf for the 75 and over age group. 

"It really is exciting, it was a really difficult course, and I can't even pretend I golfed well. But I think everybody found it to be a hard course, or most of us did."

While she wasn't too happy with her performance, she still really enjoyed the event.

"It was fun cheering for the Alberta team. The gal that won gold, I think she was from Rocky Mountain House, so it was just as exciting to know that the top two are from Alberta. And considering they came from 10 or 11 places, it was pretty neat."

For Pinchbeck, meeting new people from all across Canada and participating in fun group events is the real fun of the games.

"I met people from Quebec, I met people from the Maritimes, it was more about that than the score or the medals."

Wiewel agrees with Pinchbeck on this, saying that the opportunity to meet all sorts of people is really special.

"Part of the reason all of us participate is getting to meet people from other places. When we go to the Alberta games we meet people from all over Alberta, and this time we were meeting people from across the country."

As for Joss Binns, he earned a gold medal in golf, and his wife Karen Binns won a silver medal in lawn bowling.

Seeing four Strathmore representatives get on the podium is even more impressive when you consider that the entire event had around 2700 participants! Pinchbeck hopes to see more people join, and says there are activities for everyone.

With more than 25 activities, including wheelchair friendly ones, the Canada 55+ Games is not only a great place for lively competition but also a place to meet new people and be a part of a larger community!

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