Special Olympics Alberta Medicine Hat athletes travelled to Grande Praire to compete from July 11-13 at the Alberta Summer Games. Submitted Photo

By Jesse Gill

SPORTS

Special Olympics athletes return to Medicine Hat from provincials in Grande Prairie

Jul 14, 2025 | 1:44 PM

Twenty athletes with Special Olympics Alberta Medicine Hat flying back to Medicine Hat Monday with 19 medals after competing at the Alberta Summer Games in Grande Prairie over the weekend.

In the swimming events Karris George brough home a silver medal in the 25 metre backstroke, while Kaytlyn Spicer earned a pair of bronze in both the 25 metre and 50 metre backstroke events.

A gold medal was won by several athletes in softball, which combined with players from Calgary to form a team for the event.

Those athletes included Chuck McDonald, Elaine McDonald, Joey, Corbin Mayer, and Trina Demaris.

In bowling, Brielle Granger won a bronze and two silvers, Mitch MacDonald had a gold and two silvers, Christine Sullivan took home a bronze and two silvers, while Sinjin Soper earned two silvers.

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The bocce event had a team of Brydon Marchand, Nigel Zimmerman, Gaven Harker and Blair Yuhas win silver in division one.

A bocce gold in division six was won by Jessica McCombe, Ashley, Pamela Berg and Michael.

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An athlete shows excitement during the Alberta Summer Games in Grande Prairie. Submitted Photo

The team also competed in golf at the event.

Athlete Nigel Zimmerman, a 23-year old from Medicine Hat, competed in the bocce team event.

He said they, “pulled silver” against some pretty good teams.

“We just barely lost against Lethbridge. It was pretty fun,” Zimmerman said.

“It’s pretty new for me. This is my first out-of-town competition. First provincial,” he added.

“I was really excited to go. Something different and fun. It was really nice to do this, and I hope we can do it again.”

Zimmerman and his team competed in four games over two days and he said the last game of bocce was his favourite part of the games.

Outsides of the summer games, he has also tried wheelchair basketball and curling.

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A group of athletes with medals from the Alberta Summer Games. Submitted Photo

Joey, a 33-year old athlete, also from Medicine Hat, competed in softball at the games and won gold.

“It was very exciting, and we got to meet new people,” Joey said.

He’s been in Special Olympics for three years, but this is his first big competition.

One of the things the group did in Grande Prairie outside of the competition was his his favourite part.

“Picking strawberries,” Joey said.

He is looking forward to Medicine Hat hosting the national summer games in 2026.

“It’s pretty exciting for the city.”

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Athletes at the Alberta Summer Games in Grande Prairie. Submitted Photo