Island sports fans were 颅expecting to see the likes of Greek basketball superstar and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bayern Munich鈥檚 Canadian soccer prodigy Alphonso Davies perform live in international events this year. Not bad for a mid-market like Greater Victoria, which has always punched above its weight in sports. But the pandemic denied all that as it ended sport as we know it in 2020.
With vaccines looming, there is, however, budding optimism for a sports rebirth next year. That is evidenced by the plans to bring 2,500 athletes to town, along with their families and supporters, for the 2021 sa国际传媒 55+ Games from Sept. 14-18.
鈥淲e need something 颅positive like this,鈥� said Keith Wells, executive director of the Greater Victoria Sport Tourism 颅Commission.
鈥淲e are starting fresh. It鈥檚 a reset.鈥�
The sa国际传媒 55+ Games are held annually.
The 2020 Games, scheduled for Richmond, were cancelled due to COVID-19. The 2019 Games were hosted by Kelowna and the 2022 Games are scheduled for Abbotsford. 鈥淲e are not burying our heads in the sand. We are confident that by mid-September of next year that we will be able to do this and make it work safely with health top of mind,鈥� said Wells.
鈥淚t will be worthwhile for the region and the hotel and restaurant industries and also shops. It will be an abbreviated Games in that they usually have 30 sports and 3,500 athletes.鈥�
The 2021 Victoria Games will still feature 25 sports. About 500 volunteers will be needed. Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, Oak Bay and Langford have committed venues.
It is in line with other, much larger, sporting events planned for 2021. There is every indication, even if it鈥檚 scaled back in terms of pomp and spectators, that Tokyo organizers are fully intending to go ahead with the delayed 2020 Plus One Olympic Games next summer. The nearly 75 Island-based Olympians and Paralympians expected to compete in Tokyo are training under that assumption.
The Over-55 athletes are not in that elite class. It will be a different breed of athlete descending on the Island next year.
鈥淭here is no doubt the FIBA [men鈥檚 basketball] 颅Olympic 颅qualifier will be the most attention-grabbing sports event hosted in town next year. The 55+ Games are more about life-long sport and well-being 鈥� it鈥檚 about sport for life,鈥� said Wells.
鈥淭he biggest thing the sa国际传媒 55+ Games officials hear is that they have never been held here and participants keep 颅asking 鈥榳hen are we going to the 颅capital?鈥� 鈥�
Michael O鈥機onnor, a 颅lawyer and noted sports builder inducted into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, has been named president of the 2021 Greater Victoria 55+ sa国际传媒 Games 颅organizing committee. He was vice-chair of the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games and has been vice-president of the 颅Canadian Rugby Union, 颅president of the sa国际传媒 Rugby Union and was chairman of sa国际传媒鈥檚 first World Cup rugby team.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 start next June to prepare for an event of this size coming in September. It has to start now,鈥� said O鈥機onnor.
鈥淎nd Victoria needs 颅something positive to look 颅forward to in this difficult time. This will not only highlight the city, which was previously known as the jewel of sa国际传媒, but also promote healthy and active lifestyles and sport for life.鈥�
