The Ridge Meadows Racers, led by Janie Green, were all over the Podium after the BC Games speedskating races.
Green’s BC Winter Games experience began with an illegal knockdown, in a race she was winning, that led to a disappointing bronze. But by the end, she had so many medals around her neck, it was a wonder she could hold her head up.
She blitzed the short track speed skating podium, winning six medals in the U14 age class – three gold (400-metre race 2, 200m pursuit, 2000m mixed relay), one silver (3000m points race) and two bronze (400m race 1, 1500m).
“It’s pretty surprising that I did this well, because I wasn’t sure who else would be there,” she said. “I knew a few of the other competitors from other meets, and I knew I could at least medal for at least one distance, but this was pretty surprising.”
Other Racers who medalled in the games included Timothy Song, who won two silver in the 400m, another in the 200m and a fourth in the 2000m relay.
Marshall Shupe was also part of that silver relay, and won bronze in the 3000m and 1,500m distance races.
Green comes by her talent honestly – both her parents are former Olympic speed skaters and are active in coaching. Her coach and mother Eden Donatelli Green won silver and bronze medals at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games, and father Julian Green represented Great Britain.
“It was way harder to watch her race than me racing myself,” Donatelli Green said with a wry chuckle. “I’ve never been so nervous. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been working on the Games for the past 18 months, but this has kind of become a mini-Olympics to me. It was great to see her seeing that her hard work equaled success. That’s a great lesson for kids to learn.”