Three golds and four silver medals was nice, but for Special Olympics Yukon executive director Serge Michaud it only scratched the surface on a successful trip to Abbotsford, B.C.

The Yukon's highlights at the provincial games included the soccer team moving up from the C division to B, the bocce squad nearly winning the gold medal game at its first Outside competition and every athlete achieving some form of personal best performance.

"Overall the games were just fantastic," Michaud said. "Not even just the medal count, but more things like personal bests and the soccer team improving to a B division after four years. That's the kind of stuff we build on and what we work towards."

The Yukon's soccer team ended up winning a silver medal in the B division.

Twenty-six Yukoners (16 athletes and 10 coaches/mission staff) attended the 2009 Special Olympics B.C. Provincial Summer Games, held this past weekend.

The territory had three different sports groups: soccer, bocce and athletics. With the exception of bocce, the provincial games serve as a qualifier for the summer nationals, which are being held in London, Ont. in 2010.

Currently bocce is not offered as a sport at the nationals, but Michaud said he hopes that will change by 2014.

Heading into their final contest, the Yukon's bocce team had 11 points (three points for a win, two for a tie and one for a loss) and had to win against Campbell River, which had 13 points.

After falling behind 6-0, the Yukoners battled back and eventually took a 12-8 lead.

However, Campbell River strung together a run of its own and with four minutes left scored the game's final two points, winning 14-12.

Regardless of the loss, Michaud said he was pleased with how the group did.

"What was really neat about it was we fell right in," he said. "We were able to be competitive right off the bat and a huge kudos to (bocce coaches) Janine Peters and Brant Gibbon."

Other Yukoner medal results came from Jessica Pruden, who won a pair of gold medals, placing first in each the shot put and 100-m. Pruden also finished second in the standing long jump.

Pruden's athletics teammate Owen Munroe finished first in the standing long jump and second in the 1,500-m run.

Michaud, who was the Yukon's chef de mission in Abbotsford, said he is proud of all 16 athletes.

"It just goes to show to anyone that if you spend a bit of time at something you are going to get better and better at it," he said.

Special Olympics Yukon plans on announcing its 2010 summer nationals team either in September or October, Michaud said.

Besides soccer and athletics, the Yukon will send two swimmers and five bowlers to the London games, which will run from July 11-17.