A Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer from Geraldton won a bronze medal in the badminton mixed doubles event at the 2005 World Police and Fire Games in Quebec City.
Derek Hebner, 29, and his partner, Lynn Kett, 40, of the Sudbury Police Department, won the bronze after a tough match against a Quebec pair on July 1.
“This was such an exciting experience,” said Hebner. “We played against some incredibly-experienced competitors in a gym where the temperature was over 30 degrees [Celsius].
“I would like to thank my local sponsors . . . and the Ministry of Natural Resources, who provided support so that I was able to attend these games,” he added.
Hebner said it would be an honour to represent Canada in the next Games, which will be held in Adelaide, Australia in 2007.
“I’d like an opportunity to go for gold,” he enthused.
Hebner lost in the singles event to a Malaysian and a Quebec player.
Considering badminton is the national sport in Malaysia, and a few former top-ranked world players from Malaysia were in the competition, he still did very well.
There were 170 athletes from many different countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Netherlands, England, South Africa, Italy, the United States, Sri Lanka, and India, registered in the badminton event.
About 9,500 athletes from all over the world took part in the Games.
The World Police and Fire Games, held every two years, is the second-largest international sporting event after the Summer Olympics.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
