Prince George, B.C. – What a week for Team BC’s northern athletes.

During week one of the Canada Winter Games, seven northern athletes combined for 10 medals, nearly a quarter of Team BC’s 41.

Four of those athletes are from Prince George including biathlon’s Emily Dickson (two gold, one silver, one bronze), Archer Tony Procter (bronze), long track speed skater Carolina Hiller (three silver), and Claire LaPointe, who earned a gold in the biathlon relay.

Members of Team BC – from right, Emily Dickson, Sydney Irving, Avril Harris, Nicolas Hiller, Carolina Hiller – Photo 250News

Other northern medal winners include Quesnel’s Emerie Watson, the partner of Tony Procter who earned the bronze in compound archery, Jacob Graham of Dawson Creek (gold in long track speed skating), and Sterling Middleton from Fort St. John (bronze in curling.)

For Emily Dickson, she hopes the thrill of victory in Prince George could one day lead her to even greater heights at a future Winter Olympics.

“I’d definitely be lying if I said it wasn’t in my head. In biathlon the older you are the kind of better you get because it’s an endurance sport. So 2018 might be pushing it, it’s doable if the next few years go really well but 2022 might be a little more realistic.”

And though Team BC’s wheelchair basketball team finished outside the medal podium, Prince George native Avril Harris says the experience will be a memory he’ll always cherish.

“In Prince George in front of the home crowd, playing the sport I love to play, it ranks up there with one of the best experiences in my life.”