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LOV - Living Out Vancouver (Issue #2, September 2009) - Dean Nelson
With 499 players, Team Canada had the fourth largest contingent of LGBT athletes at the second World Outgames in Copenhagen, Denmark, July 25 to August 2.
Seen everywhere, Team Vancouver's uniquely west coast blue-green uniforms were highly sought after. Team Vancouver earned 19 of Canada's 151 medals (52 Gold, 56 Silver, and 43 Bronze). Swimmer Michael Hoche was Team Vancouver's star competitor, coming home with 2 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze.
Canada's medal count put it in fifth place behind the U.S., Germany, Netherlands, and Denmark.
The games were a huge success for Copenhagen. An estimated 5,553 paid participants and another 7,500 LGBT spectators came from over 87 different countries, cheering on athletes in 34 different sports and attending 303 cultural events. Then there were the parties! Going to everything was impossible.
In Short, The World Outgames were dynamic, inspiring, fun, and filled with epic memories.
Vancouver Brings Home the GOLD ... and the Silver and the Bronze
8 Gold, 3 Silver, 8 Bronze: fifteen of Team Vancouver's forty players earned a total of 19 medals at the 2nd World Outgames. 68-year old Erik Graff, profiled in LOV's last issue, earned a Gold running the 5,000-meter race! But it's not all about the jewellery. Everyone who played in Copenhagen gets a high five. Here are the medal standings for our hometown heroes.
CURLING: Bryan Matthews - Gold C-Division; Mike Blackwell - Gold C-Division; Jason Diduck - Gold C-Division; Harry Berg - Gold C-Division
Running: Erik Graff - Gold 5,000-meter; Greg Larocque - Gold 10,000-meter
Swimming: Michael Hoche - Gold 800-meter freestyle, Gold 400-meter medley, Silver 400-meter freestyle, Bronze 200-meter freestyle; Kevin Simpson - Silver 50-meter backstroke, Bronze 800-meter freestyle
Track & Field: Dan Quon - Silver 4x 100-meter relay
Volleyball: Patrick Nguyen - Bronze C-Division; Fred Lee - Bronze C-Division; Kevin Wong - Bronze C-Division; Jason Fung - Bronze C-Division; Andy Lee - Bronze C-Division; David Full - Bronze C-Division.