SPORTS
40 Surrey/North Delta Leader
Friday, February 25, 2011
Placing first at Canada Games
Gold medal for Hocking by Rick Kupchuk
on the mat, winning his fourth match of the day to earn the top HIS NERVES and a difficult first spot on the medal podium. opponent kept Cohen Hocking up As to what’s next for the for most of the night. Seaquam Secondary graduate, But come Wednesday mornhe said it’s a little early to look ing, the lack of sleep couldn’t ahead. stop the 18-year-old North Delta “It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” resident from four consecutive he said. “I have to go back to my victories, and a gold medal club in Burnaby, and talk to my in judo at the Canada Winter coaches. I guess I just want to Games in Halifax. keep training, and move on to a “I was pretty nervous, I think I tournament bigger than this.” had four hours of sleep ■ South Surrey cross max,” said Hocking, country skiier Mary minutes after defeatBenson just missed a ing Andrew Yuen of medal in two events Saskatchewan in the Tuesday. gold medal match of the Benson, 50, was fifth 60-66 kg. category at St. in the para 2.5 km. Mary’s University. standing freestyle in a “My draw could have time of 10:50.90. Erica gone either way. In my Noonan of Newfoundpool, I was one of two land and Labrador Cohen Hocking placed third in 9:17.20. guys who didn’t get a bye through the first She was fourth in round. And I had to fight the the para 100m standing sprint top guy from Ontario (Luke final, after placing third in the Heatherington), and he beat me qualifying race then winning her last month.” semifinal earlier in the day. Heatherington couldn’t repeat She was to compete in the 5 the feat, as Hocking moved on km standing classic yesterday. to the quarterfinal round with a ■ Snowboarder Shayna win, and a lot of confidence. Goodwin of Surrey placed 10th “After I won that first match, in qualifying in the parallel giant I knew it (gold medal) was slalom event, falling short of doable,” he said. “I definitely qualifying for the quarterfinal got less nervous as the day went round by two positions. Goodalong. I’ve been doing visualizawin finished her qualifying run tions the last couple of days. I in 2.01.93, 3.92 seconds back didn’t look at it as the Canada of Team B.C. teammate Jade Winter Games, it was just a Critchlow, who snared the final bunch of guys wrestling around.” quarterfinal berth. One hour after defeating ■ Vanessa Baxter, a 17-yearHeatherington, Hocking stopped old member of the B.C. AquaTait Wiley of Alberta, then sonics from Surrey, was 10th minutes later eliminated Marcus after the preliminary of the synMason of New Brunswick. After chronized swimming solo event a two-hour break, he was back Tuesday evening. The Frank
PHOTO COURTESY TEAM B.C.
Vanessa Butler competes in singles at the Canada Winter Games synchronized swimming competition in Halifax. The Surrey resident swims for a medal this weekend. Hurt Secondary student will compete in the B final tomorrow (Saturday). A 2010 provincial champion, Baxter will also compete for a
medal in duet with partner Olivia Zawadiuk of Coquitlam. The pair placed fifth in the preliminary with a score of 75.483, and will contest the final today (Friday).
Baxter, Kelli Gustafsson and Erin Williams are on Team B.C. for the team event. The group is fourth after the preliminaries Wednesday. The final is tomorrow.
SECTION C0-ORDINATOR: RICK KUPCHUK (PHONE 604-575-5335)
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