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Kelowna contingent thrives at Special Olympic world games

Tracey Melesko and Francis Stanley competed in cross country skiing, Tony Wilkinson in snowshoeing.
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KelownaÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s Tracey Melesko, Francis Stanley and Tony Wilkinson are back from the Special Olympic World Winter Games in Austria. -Image credit: Douglas Farrow/Contributor

Three athletes returned home to Kelowna from Europe this week with smiles on their faces and medals in their possession.

Tracey Melesko, Tony Wilkinson and Francis Stanley all represented B.C. and Team Canada at the in Austria.

A multiple medal winner at past national and international competitions, Melesko won three medals at the 2017 games in womenÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s cross country skiing.

Melesko captured gold in both the 5K Classical event and the 4 x 1K relay along with her Canadian teammates. She also collected a bronze medal in the 2.5K Classical.

Wilkinson was part of CanadaÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s gold medal winning team in snowshoeingÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s 4 x 100 metre relay. He also won an individual silver in the 100 metre event, while adding a fifth-place showing in the 200.

Stanley won a gold medal in menÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s cross country in the 2.5K Classical race. He was also sixth in the 10K freestyle and seventh in the 4 x 1K free relay.

VernonÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s Justin Sigal, who trains with KelownaÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s athletes, won two medals in menÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s cross countryÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥”a silver in the 2.5 K Classical and a bronze in the 5K Classical.

Two coaches from Kelowna accompanied the four Okanagan athletes to Austria. Garth Vickers served as cross country coach as well as the wax-technician, while David Wilkinson coached snowshoeing.





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