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Victoria marks 30 years since playing host to Commonwealth Games
Victoria’s sporting community is celebrating the 30th anniversary of hosting the Commonwealth Games in the B.C. capital.
The games kicked off on Aug. 18, 1994, at a packed Centennial Stadium.
Three decades later, the impact of the games continues to be felt, with organizers gathering in Victoria to honor the legacy of the event on Vancouver Island.
“We aim to leverage the region’s strengths and provide opportunities for coaches and athletes,” said 94 Forward president John MacMillan.
Thanks to the games’ legacy, Victoria is now home to Olympic and Paralympic training facilities. This year, it has hosted around 160 Canadian athletes training in various sports like skateboarding, boxing, diving, and athletics.
To commemorate the milestone anniversary, the Pacific Institute for Sport Education, a non-profit that emerged from the ’94 games, announced an expansion of programming for individuals aged 13 to 18, building on the legacy.
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“It’s time to reach more teens, so we are thrilled to introduce our ‘gift of potential’ program,” said PISE board member Stephen Chang.
Only 10% of youth in that age group meet Canada’s recommended physical activity guidelines, with an average of four hours of screen time per day instead.
“Engaging students in athletics, programs, and teams is crucial for keeping them healthy and happy,” said Sean Hayes, principal at the South Island Distance Education School.
“Young individuals are the future Olympians and Commonwealth Games participants.”
Last year, the school took on the work of providing education to young elite athletes attending the Canadian Sports School, who split their time between training and high school.
Whether or not those future competitors get to compete here at home remains a question.
B.C. put in a bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but the province was not in a financial position to support the requested $400 million in funding.
It later took itself out of the running for the 2026 event as well.
“It may be that organizing committees and nations perhaps need to rethink how these games are pulled off … to help share the costs and also help share the legacy afterwards,” said Susan Brice, who sat on the post-1994 games board that established PISE.
But like the athletes that train here, no one is giving up, knowing Victorians are game for anything.
“Never say never,” Brice said.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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