Two people from the Okanagan area won awards at the yearly athlete of the year event by Sport BC.
The event took place in Vancouver last Thursday, and Nash Semeniuk from Kelowna Secondary School was given the title of B.C.'s male high school athlete of the year for the 2023 season. The twelfth grade student participated in basketball and volleyball for KSS. Another Kelowna resident, Malindi Elmore, also received an award as the top master athlete of the year.
This event is held to celebrate athletes, teams, coaches, and officials from across the province.
Sport BC president Rob Newman mentioned being inspired by the sports stories of the finalists, the category winners, and the organizations they represent.
During the 2022-23 school season, Semeniuk played a role in helping the Kelowna basketball team secure a fourth-place finish at the provincial championships.
The KSS volleyball team achieved various titles in 2022, including the Okanagan regional title and the provincial championship.
Additionally, the Owls defended their regional and provincial titles in 2023 for the third consecutive year, and Semeniuk was named as a first-team all-star.
Notably, another athlete from the Okanagan was also a contender for the title of B.C. male high school athlete of the year.
Mark Johnson from Vernon Secondary School, who is active in football and basketball, was also in the running for the award.
Vernon's Johnson made significant contributions to his team's victory in the 2A provincial football championship by a wide margin, and he was recognized as the game's MVP and top student-athlete.
He also excelled as the top scorer for his basketball team.
On the other hand, Elmore, a former national track and field athlete, has risen to become Canada's leading marathon runner.
At the 2023 Berlin marathon, she achieved a new personal best time of two hours, 23 minutes, and 30 seconds, improving on her previous best by 80 seconds.
This accomplishment also secured her a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games, despite being 43 years old.
Lastly, twelfth grader Nash Semeniuk played a crucial role in KSS's back-to-back triumphs in the provincial volleyball championships over the last two seasons.
At the 2023 Berlin marathon, she set a new personal best time of two hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds, shaving 80 seconds off her previous best.
That time also qualified the 43-year-old for the 2024 Olympic Games.
