Photo: Contributed

Ainsley Macdonald (third on left) and Cameron Janssen display their medals

Kelowna athletes came home from the International Children's Games in Innsbruck, Austria with a little more weight in their suitcases.

Local athletes won a pair of medals at the winter event, capturing a silver and bronze.

Team Kelowna included 17 athletes competing in alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross country skiing and biathlon.

These city to city games are for youth between the ages of 12 to 15.

“Team Kelowna athletes were a success at this major international sporting event with many doing personal bests and placing in the top ten proving that our young Kelowna athletes can compete well at the international level” said delegation head Heather Schneider.

“We are excited for our two medal winners Cameron Janssen, who won a silver in the biathlon mixed team event, and Ainsley Macdonald, who won a bronze in the girls freestyle event.”

The International Children’s Games is the largest multi-sport youth games in the world and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The winter games took place in Innsbruck, a city which is respected worldwide for their expertise in hosting winter games, including the Olympics and more recently the Youth Olympics.

Kelowna is one of few cities to have won medals at both summer and winter International Children’s Games.

With the addition of these two medals, the Kelowna medal count is now sixteen medals including four gold, six silver and six bronze since first participating in the 2011 Winter Games hosted by Kelowna.

Many of these young athletes are now heading to Penticton to compete in the BC Winter Games and will take with them the valuable experience they have gained.