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Triathlon   posted Sep 21, 2017 @ 02:45pm by   By Lorne White

TBT: Look back at summer and fall sports in Kelowna more than a decade ago

<who>Photo Credit/Cover Design: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>

KelownaNow is in the forefront of recognizing the exploits and achievements of current athletes and teams in the Central Okanagan.

Photo Gallery (95 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page

Our new commitment is to shine a light on sports achievements of past years and decades. From Lorne White's deep archives we're featuring the fourth installment in a series of TBT (Throwback Thursday) articles and photo galleries that will revive memories of athletes and coaches, as well as the supporting cast of families, friends and neighbours.

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Kelowna's Malindi Elmore, running smoothly on the final lap of the 2004 Canadian track and field championships in Victoria. Elmore, 24 years old at the time, won the national championship and earned a berth at the Olympics in Athens later in the summer. "I really felt in the zone and at my peak mentally and physically," she recalls. "I was excited, happy, confident and ready to run fast. The race unfolded perfectly: a fast pace and a talented group of women to race against. Since I already had the Olympic standard, I had low pressure. I had to finish only in the top four to secure my spot. It was nice being the underdog. I was able to focus completely on executing my own race strategy."

We welcome your throwback feedback. Contribute your favourite memories about the sports photos from the summer and fall of 2002 to 2005. Fill us in via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram . . . what do you remember most about those action-filled days of a decade ago. Can you identify anyone in the photos with names not attached? If so, pass it on to them.

For continuing to help shape the sporting community and the Central Okanagan in general, thanks from KelownaNow.

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Malindi Elmore was third coming around the final turn but overtook both Carmen Douma-Hussar, centre, and Kate Vermeulen, but overtook them on the home stretch. "The race felt effortless and I felt like I could still have run much faster," said Elmore. "It is sort of sad to think that I actually never ran any faster than that day again (I came close several times) -— sometimes we don’t learn how special something is until hindsight. I remember coming around for the final lap and Carmen Douma-Hussar starting to pull away from me, but on the final stretch, with 100 metres to go, I felt this surge of power and energy and was just able to power home. Crossing the line, with a championship record, my first Canadian title, and a spot on the Olympic team was an unbelievable feeling and definitely one of the top moments in my life."

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Malindi Elmore is congratulated by her dad, Doug, after her Canadian championship win in 2004. She recalls with fondness: "That was one of my most special races. It was so amazing to make the Canadian Olympic team, on Canada Day weekend with my family, friends and coach present. On a personal note, Graham (Hood, now her husband) was there too — we went on our first date that weekend! Maybe that’s why I ran so fast!."

Photo Gallery (95 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Michela Gellert of the Kelowna Owls in field hockey action in 2005. She's now Michela Myers, married to Winnipeg Jets defenceman and former Kelowna Rocket, Tyler Myers.

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Steve Clements, a Grade 10 student, was selected to the all-star team when the Mt. Boucherie Bears won the 2003 B.C. senior AAA boys volleyball championship in Kelowna. Although injured for most of his Grade 11 year, he played at provincials again, helping the Bears to bronze medal. He was a provincial all-star in 2005, leading MBSS to another bronze medal. Clements, who went on to play volleyball for the UBC Okanagan Heat, is now coordinator of IT services at the Interior Health Authority and coaches high school and club volleyball.

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>The 2004 edition of the Kelowna Challenge of the Pacific Coast Soccer League: From left, front: Janelle Smith, Jen Wilson, Carla Hartling, Katie Quirk, Jeanette Paine, Megan Ferdinand, Lisa Goodgrove, Katie Bush, and Shelagh Mitchell. Back: Mike Shepherd (coach), Kristi Egilson, Paisley Edmonds, Anna Lovick, Bethany White, Brittany Heinrich, Whitney Agassiz, Lindsay Maier, Tenille Tuppin and Peter Rochfort (coach). "Many of our players played for university or college teams," recalled one of the team members. "And when they were back in town this was the perfect summer team to keep our skills sharpened."

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Rhys Onofrychuk evades an attempted diving tackle from Sean Hawkins in a Kelowna Minor Football Association junior bantam game at Mission Sportsfields in 2004. Onofrychuk went on to play high school football with the Kelowna Owls while Hawkins played for the Okanagan Mission Huskies.

<who>Photo Credit: Lorne White/KelownaNow </who>Mike Cambridge of Kelowna and Eric Simpson (raised arms) of West Kelowna get set for the 2005 Oliver Half Iron. Cambridge finished fourth overall and first in the 19-24 age category while Simpson, competing in the 40-44 age group, placed seventh overall.

Photo Gallery (95 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page


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