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Athletes bring home medals

Special Olympians from across Canada travelled to Los Angeles for the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Some 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches from more than 177 countries, alongside 30,000 volunteers were at the Games, which wrapped up Sunday.

Athletes competed in 26 sports over nine days at venues throughout Los Angeles, including the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. The event was the largest held in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Summer Games.

Several Okanagan athletes were at the Games, bringing home numerous medals.

The solftball team that included Okanagan athletes James Blacke, Ryan Courtemanche, Richard Gillis, Chris Harrington, Jonathan MacDonald, Jake MacFarlane, Andrew McIntyre, Dale Ramsden, David Scott and Danny Sperling earned two bronze medals.

In aquatics, Amanda Schleppe of Penticton won a gold, silver and bronze medal, with Kelsey Wyse of Kelowna bringing home a gold and two silvers.

Avery Newton of Penticton also represented Canada in the swimming competition.

The bocce team that included Margaret Burnell, Chad Conlon and Lynden Hicks of Penticton along with Ben Wilms of Kelowna earned a bronze medal for the team.

Burnell collected six bronze in various bocce categories, with Conlon tallying three gold and three bronze and Hicks also bringing home three gold and three bronze.

In golf, Kyle Grummett of Kelowna collected a bronze medal.

In athletic competition, Jeneka Greif of Kelowna won a gold and silver.

Jake Huff of Penticton bowled his way to a gold and silver medal.



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