Each week at Global BC, we highlight our stories to bring a bright spot to your Friday and into the weekend.
Here are the five stories we want to share:
Basking shark spotted off B.C. coast, expert says sighting is like seeing a ‘unicorn’
A rare sighting in the waters off B.C.’s coast has nature lovers excited that a species may be making a comeback.
Nick Gallant with Island Magic Experiences told Global News that during a recent excursion, his wife spotted an incredibly rare creature in the water.
They had a group of guests on Wallace Island in the Gulf Islands with some hanging out at the camp or going for a paddleboard.
Gallant said his wife decided to go paddleboarding and take her camera and when she came back she said she had seen a basking shark.
“I was immediately like, ‘No, you didn’t. Like, you know, as cool as that would be, I very much doubt it,'” he said.
Two B.C. athletes take home gold in Olympic hammer throwing
British Columbia native Ethan Katzberg won the men’s hammer throw title at the Stade de France during the Paris Olympic Games.
His first throw of 84.12 metres held throughout the six-round competition – he won by a distance of 4.15 metres. This gap is the largest margin of victory in the men’s Olympic hammer throw competition since 1920.
Katzberg is the first Canadian in Olympic history to win the men’s hammer throw title. The Nanaimo, B.C. native adds the Olympic crown to the world championship he won last summer in Eugene, Ore.
Two days later, Richmond, B.C., native Camryn Rogers won gold while also becoming the country’s first-ever medalist in the women’s event.
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Rogers was seen as a favourite going into the event and threw 76.97 metres, her farthest, on her fourth attempt. No one else surpassed that number, clinching the gold.
Rogers is the top-ranked hammer thrower in the world and entered the Games having won silver at the 2022 world championships and gold at last year’s worlds. She is the first and only Canadian woman to medal at worlds in the hammer throw.
Vancouver’s Kits Pool set to open for shortened season
Better late than never!
Vancouver’s beleaguered Kitsilano Pool opened for a shortened summer season on Wednesday.
The five-decade-old pool has faced a multitude of problems since it suffered major damage during a January 2022 storm.
In June, the city said the pool would stay closed for summer, and was leaking 30,000 litres of water per hour, making it impossible to balance chemicals and make it safe to swim in.
Pregnant mare found on B.C. logging road gets new start with her foal
A tragic story out of Fort St. John, B.C., involving a pregnant neglected mare has become a tale of resilience.
Spirit was brought into the BCSPCA after she was found on the side of a logging road. The pregnant mare had lesions all over her body and was covered in hives and welts.
The BC SPCA arranged for Spirit to be examined by a veterinarian.
Several weeks after being taken in, Spirit gave birth to a healthy foal on July 28.
The filly has been named Journey in honour of the difficult path Spirit navigated while carrying her.
Meet Coquitlam social media star Buddy Smartz
Many attempt it, but there’s no easy formula for becoming a star on TikTok or Instagram.
But a seven-year-old “good boy” from the Lower Mainland is making it look like a walk in the park.
The viral pooch is offering up priceless daily videos and cheeky snippets of his everyday life, and fans can’t get enough.