Sport BC will be letting British Columbians select the winner of the Best of B.C. award for 2011.
In partnership with the Province of British Columbia, Sport BC will be conducting an online vote at SportBC.com, with voting to end on Feb. 27. The winner will be announced at the 46th Athlete of the Year Awards on March 8 at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond.
Included among the five nominees for this year’s award is Surrey native Paul McCallum, a kicker with the Grey Cup champion B.C. Lions. McCallum set new Canadian Football League (CFL) records for most consecutive field goals (30) and field goal accuracy (94.3 per cent).
Other nominees are hockey player Mark Recchi of Kamloops (Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins), Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops (gold medalist in shot put at the Pan American Games), B.C. Lions running back Andrew Harris of Nanaimo (CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian), and soccer player Christine Sinclair of Burnaby (gold medalist at the Pan American Games).
“British Columbians are exceptionally proud of our athletes and the sport system that supports them as they train, develop and compete,” said Hon. Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “These five athletes have made tremendous achievements in their sport, and truly represent the best of BC’s collective spirit – excellence, fortitude and strength.”
“2011 was an outstanding year for BC’s athletes, as evident by the calibre of candidates put forward for this award,” said Carey Summerfelt, Event Manager for Sport BC. “These five athletes are powerhouses, not only as competitors in their respective sports, but also in their representation of our province on the world stage.”
Past winners of the Best of BC Award include pro basketball star Steve Nash (2005 and 2006) and Major League Baseball’s Justin Morneau of North Delta (2008).