Canada Summer Games torch relay winds through Niagara Falls

Mike Unusual was 16 when he competed within the 1987 Canada Summer time Video games in Nova Scotia.

He returned from the nationwide occasion with not solely a silver medal in boxing, but additionally the muse for future success.

He went on to characterize Canada on the Commonwealth Video games, profitable gold in 1994 and 1998, and on the Olympic Video games, competing in 1992, 1996 and 2000.

In Niagara Falls on Sunday, the 51-year-old Niagara Falls metropolis councillor was one of many torch bearers at a relay upfront of the Canada Summer time Video games.

“That is essential for thus many athletes as a result of for a few of them it’s their first sporting occasion that includes multi-sports,” he stated.

“You’ve a gap ceremony and a closing ceremony and an enormous medal presentation, and it will get you ready for larger video games just like the Commonwealth Video games, the Pan Am Video games and the Olympics.”

The 2022 Video games might be held Aug. 6 to 21 at 19 venues throughout Niagara.

“Assured, there’s going to be some future Olympians at these Video games,” Unusual stated.

Accompanying Unusual on his leg of the relay was Gavin Nagy.

The 12-year-old is one supported by Heater’s Heroes, a charity occasion Unusual hosts every year in help of youngsters and their households coping with a life-threatening or -altering sickness or damage.

One other Heater’s Hero, Reed Wales, was unable to attend and Unusual hopes to have him take part in an upcoming leg of the torch relay.

“They’ve needed to overcome sicknesses they usually’re each little heroes and I feel it can be crucial the main focus is on them, not me,” he stated.

The torch will journey to each nook of Niagara area, visiting every of the 12 native municipalities earlier than the Video games get underway.

“In just a little a couple of month’s time, roughly 5,000 up-and-coming athletes representing Canada’s future era of Olympians and Paralympions will descend upon the Niagara area to compete for the suitable to be a nationwide champion Canada’s largest multi-sport occasion,” stated Wade Stayzer, chief individuals and tradition officer and senior vice-president of enterprise banking at Meridian Credit score Union and Canada Summer time Video games board member.

“Though the pandemic delayed us by a yr it has made us much more desperate to host the video games that may see the return to sports activities for thus a lot of our youth and assist deliver Canadians again collectively for what guarantees to be a spectacular celebration.”

Greater than 150 group members from Niagara will carry the torch by the area, together with Wealthy Merlino.

The Niagara Falls resident was nominated to be a torch bearer by Bernadette and Joe Miszk.

Merlino runs 5 kilometres a day in reminiscence of their daughter Julianne Miszk.

He started his journey after studying Julianne, an achieved para-athlete and seven-time OFSSA champion in cross-country operating and monitor and area, had challenged herself to run 100 days in a row. She simply accomplished her problem, and went on to run for an extra 100 days.

Impressed by the 22-year-old, Merlino started his personal 100 days of operating. Julianne misplaced her battle with most cancers in 2020.

His problem then turned a memorial run and he’s been operating and elevating funds for numerous charities for greater than two years.

“I’m satisfied that Julianne would have been a torch bearer for these Video games,” Merlino stated. “Along with her energy and willpower, she’d undoubtedly be right here operating.”

The Video games alternate between summer time and winter occasions each two years and are the best nationwide competitors stage for 1000’s of up-and-coming Canadian athletes with Olympic aspirations. The Video games was to be held in Niagara final yr, however was delayed by the pandemic. The Winter Video games will happen subsequent March in Prince Edward Island.

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