Prince George’s Hampole wins bronze

In the figure skating competition at the Canada Winter Games on Wednesday, Team BC wowed the local crowd and won four medals.

Prince George skater Justin Hampole was second going into the day after a personal best short program on Tuesday. He skated another clean program and earning a combined total of 91.88 points to place third for the bronze medal.

“I never expected to win a medal,” Hampole said. “My goal was 90 points and I achieved that and I am so happy to have won bronze. It has been a great experience.”

It was a packed house at Lakewood Dental Arena when Hampole took to the ice. To skate in front of a hometown crowd obviously came with some nerves.

“I have never been that nervous before a skate before. But, I have been talking with a sport psychologist and he said that if you don’t have nerves you don’t care. I was really nervous so I guess I must really care.”

Justin’s teammate, Beres Clements (Gibsons) skated a strong program and finished in fourth place overall.

The pre-novice women took to the ice Wednesday afternoon. Olivia Gran of Kelowna skated a personal best in the short program and was in first place going into the free skate but struggled on her jumps in the performance. She scored a total of 94.83 which was enough for the silver medal behind Sarah-Maude Blanchard of Quebec. Alisa Lyesina (Victoria) placed fifth.

In the Special Olympics Level 2 competition Matthew Lai (Richmond) earned gold and his teammate Eric Pahima (Vancouver) earned silver.