VERNON, B.C. — Not only does Gary Link see the potential in every man, he sees it in himself. And he loves a challenge. Therefore, it's no surprise that he has cycled across Canada after total knee replacement surgery, has become a champion speed skater, and is a dynamic Church leader.

In spite of serious knee problems, Gary Link became a record-setting speed-skating champion.

Photo courtesy Shirley Burnham

Gary Link, holding box of vegetables, with members of his high priests group, stands in garden planted to provide service opportunities and to provide fresh produce for local food banks.

Brother Link, 62, is the high priests group leader in the Vernon Ward, British Columbia Stake. To help those in his group strive to reach their potential, he has led out in several projects.

The group maintained and harvested a large garden last summer for the community, providing food to the local food banks and the needy and widowed in the ward. The project will continue this summer. Helping build a new home for a single woman in the ward whose home burned a year ago has united the men as they worked together for more than a year. "Not everyone likes to garden or swing a hammer so we have a weekday scripture class and singing training. We need something for all," he said. "Now the brethren see each other as friends."

Brother Link, who served a term as president of Rotary, says, "When you look at a group of Rotarians or high priests, you see very capable men. You think it is hard to fail with a group like that. We are capable of doing a lot of good."

He has been a capable skater from an early age. He learned to skate on a frozen slough in Saskatchewan wearing size-8 men's skates when he was only 6 years old. "It was the only pair of skates we had," he explained. At 15 he suffered a hockey injury that required an operation on his knee. The surgeon said he should never play hockey again. He went on to play for a provincial and a national championship team. He likes to turn an obstacle into a challenge.

Fifteen years ago, a radiologist told him he would need a total knee replacement. Himself a physical therapist, Brother Link looked at the X-ray and thought, "I wonder if a person with a knee like this could cycle across Canada?"

He did.

And in March, Brother Link won the gold medal in all four races in the Masters Four Division (ages 60-70 years), in the North American Short Track Speed Skating Championships. He set two North American records while he was at it.

When asked what his next goal is, he said, "I like to keep them personal. If I had told people I wanted to set a Canadian record in speed skating, everyone would have laughed because I was so slow."

Yet three years after starting that sport, he set Canadian records in all four events: 500 meters, 770 meters, 1000 meters and 1500 meters in the Masters Three Division (ages 50-60). In January of this year, his coach suggested he enter the long-track competition at the Calgary Olympic Oval. There are four long-track events in his class and he set a Canadian record in three of them. He cut more than 20 seconds off the record for the 3000-meter race.

Brother Link is willing to share his formula for success in reaching goals: first, good coaching; second, working with teammates who are very committed; and third, hard work. He adds. "The Word of Wisdom is an advantage to any athlete at any age. What you eat, drink and how you exercise in order to look after the body has a large effect on your temporal and spiritual life.

"We live in a community that is very physically active and a stake that is very active. Our stake's annual Triathlon of the Soul has been a good experience."

Last September, he finished third in the 25-kilometer race portion of the Triathlon of the Soul. Only Zachary Lee, age 19, and Lee Sloan, a member of the stake presidency, crossed the finish line ahead of him.