Halifax, NS (February 12, 2011) -- Long track speed skater Victoria (Tori) Spence of Kamloops started Team BC's medal collection at the 2011 Canada Winter Games Saturday by winning a Bronze medal in the 1000m. Spence's trip to the podium came just hours after she carried the flag for Team BC at the Games' opening ceremonies.
Even though her pairing partner fell during the race and was not able to finish, Tori was able to maintain her pace and keep her focus. "I felt very strong, focused and agressive," said Spence after her race. "I just attacked it."
Tori, who has her eye on competing in Sochi in 2014, skated her medal-worthy race on the one-year-anniversary of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In other competition on the first day of the Canada Winter Games, Team BC's men's hockey team went into a thrilling shoot-out after their game with Quebec was undecided after overtime. They lost the shootout. The final score was 5-4.
Team BC held an afternoon press conference at the Canada Games Media Centre to make a presentation of the mittens and other warm clothing collected as part of its Hands Across The Country project. Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly and Boys & Girls Club of East Dartmouth Executive Director Peter Burton accepted the boxes of donations, expressing their appreciation for BC athletes' demonstration of their community spirit.
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Photos to accompany this press release can be downloaded at teambc.org/photos
Media Contact:
Jan Mansfield
Team BC Communications Manager
januscom@shaw.ca; 902-719-8093