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B.C. Interior aboriginal athletes receive awards

From the 47 regional award winners, six will be honoured with B.C. provincial awards at at ceremony in Kelowna next March.
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The 2016 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport were presented Nov. 29 to eight outstanding aboriginal youth athletes from British Columbia’s Interior region.

The recipients are:

  • Brianna Kelly, 17, downhill mountain biking, Leq'á:mel First Nation
  • Ethan Joe, 16, hockey, Splatsin, Secwepemc Nation
  • Brooklyn Tanner, 14, archery, Osoyoos Indian Band
  • Kalezafar Lawrence, 15, lacrosse, Métis Nation BC
  • Hayden Craig, 20, basketball, softball, Métis Nation BC
  • Richard Celesta, 17, rugby, snowboarding, softball, Simpcw First Nation
  • Lyndzie Caron, 17, basketball, soccer, volleyball, Métis Nation BC
  • Ryan Ignace, 18, hockey, Skeetchestn Indian Band

In all, 47 recipients were chosen within the Partners Council’s six regions – Northeast, Northwest, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island.

Gordon Hogg, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Sport to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development made the presentations. “Their accomplishments and dedication to their communities and their sports is what distinguishes them as some of the best youth athletes in B.C.’s Interior region. Congratulations to this year’s recipients,” he said.

The regional recipients become nominees for 12 provincial awards. In January 12 provincial award recipients (six male and six female) will be selected. They will be presented with their award at Gathering our Voices National Aboriginal Youth Conference to be held in Kelowna March 21 through 24.