Seven months ago, it was an extreme improbability Alix Wells would be able to compete for Team B.C. at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
She tripped on the soccer field and her leg was a mess -- two broken bones including a spiral fracture that ran from the top of her shin to her ankle, all patched back together with a plate and a handful of screws.
Not the kind of injury conducive to alpine ski racing.
But by January, the 15-year-old from Prince George left no doubt her recovery is nearly complete. Wells, a J1 skier (15 and 16-year olds) lined up in the start gate along with 52 other competitors at the GMC Cup series slalom race at Lake Louise and put down a pair of scintillating runs to win the silver medal, second only to J2 (17-19 year olds) skier Tianda Carroll of Edmonton.
Wells was also the top J1 athlete (12th overall) at her other Canada Games qualifier at Nakiska, Alta.
"I didn't think I'd be going to Canada Games but I qualified," said Wells, from her billet home in Invermere. "I've never been to a multi-sport event like that, other than B.C. Games. It'll be cool to meet other people in different sports and see them do well."
Wells knows two of the Prince George athletes competing in the Games -- hockey player Josh Connolly and biathlete Sarah Beaudry. Both began their respective competitions on the weekend.
"I'll get to see a couple of events after our racing is finished," Wells said. "We'll go to a couple of finals in whatever we can get tickets for."
She leaves for Halifax on Friday and will be there until the 27th.
On Tuesday, see The Citizen and pgcitizen.ca for more.
