DAYTONA BEACH, USA (October 15, 2017) – Our Canadian acrobatic and rhythmic gymnasts left it all out on the floor on the final day of competition at the 2017 Pan American Championships in Daytona Beach, USA today, winning twelve medals.
Over half of the Canadian medal haul came from the acrobatic gymnasts, winning seven medals total including three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. The results were impressive for the first ever officially named team to represent Canada at the championships in acrobatic gymnastics.
Canadian acrobatic medal results:
- Gold: Kristian Diana and Maxwell Hendershot (Oakville Gymnastics) – 11-16 Men’s pair (26.250)
- Gold: Mila Di Salle and Theo Rotts Chan (Oakville Gymnastics) – 11-16 Mixed pair (26.300)
- Gold: Alexandra D’Souza, Erin Oswald, and Charlotte Penner (Oakville Gymnastics) – Junior women’s group (26.510)
- Silver: Mikaela Pingol and Juliana Summers (Oakville Gymnastics) – 12-18 Women’s pair (25.970)
- Bronze: Lola Gray, Piper Lafayette, and Cassandra Larner (Oakville Gymnastics) – 11-16 Women’s group (26.250)
- Bronze: Ava Gokiert and Evelina Merkulov (Calgary Acro) – 11-16 Women’s pair (26.650)
- Bronze: Allison Attard, Emmanuelle Shemko, and Ally Swanepoel (Oakville Gymnastics) – 12-18 Women’s group (25.950)
Silver medallist Juliana Summers was quite pleased with the results achieved at this championship with partner Mikaela Pingol: “We are so happy to have won the silver medal at this championship,” she said following competition. “The experience will make us much more confident in future competitions. Knowing we did so well here in Daytona Beach and seeing how much all our hard work has paid off is an incredible feeling.”
“We’re proud of our performance because we learned that even though we were nervous, we were still able to have a clean routine,” said bronze medallist Allison Attard of her performance with group members Emmanuelle Shemko and Ally Swanepoel. “This medal means a lot to our group because it proves all our hard work has paid off and fighting through all of the training and hard times was well worth the result.”
Canadian acrobatic judge Nancy Carss, who was recently named to the Pan American Gymnastics Union (PAGU) technical committee, understands what this weekend’s results mean for the future of acrobatic gymnastics in Canada. “I think it’s a phenomenal start to developing our country, especially all together as a PAGU unit,” said Carss. “There are a lot of countries that are interested in starting acrobatic gymnastics, and we need to work together to grow this amazing sport. It has such a bright future in Canada and the Pan American countries and it’s really something to look forward to.”
In the rhythmic gymnastics finals, it was Michel Vivier of Toronto, ON who was the top Canadian today, winning a medal in every apparatus final. Vivier won gold on hoop with a score of 15.050, silver on ribbon with a score of 13.900, bronze on ball with a score of 14.100, and bronze on clubs with a score of 14.500. Those four medals add to Vivier’s two silver medals from Saturday’s all-around and team finals, bringing her total to six medals.
The junior group based out of Vancouver, BC finished third in the ten clubs final with a score of 11.650 to take home the bronze medal. Team members include: Erin Cho-Siksik, Tiffany Chung, Elena Kovacevic, Ana Lugonjic, Cecilia Moreno, and Christina Xie.
Other Canadian acrobatic and rhythmic gymnasts competed in the finals, some barely missing the podium. Here are the Canadian results:
- Sophie Crane (Jusco RG) – Hoop, 7th (12.900)
- Natalie Garcia (Mississauga Newnorth) – Ribbon, 4th (12.950)
- Natalie Garcia – Ball, 4th (13.800)
- Natalie Garcia – Clubs, 4th (13.850)
- Carmen Whelan (Silhouettes of York) – Hoop, 5th (15.050)
- Katherine Uchida (Jusco RG) – Hoop, 7th (13.900)
- Carmen Whelan – Ball, 5th (14.700)
- Katherine Uchida – Ball, 6th (14.600)
- Carmen Whelan – Clubs, 6th (13.500)
- Carmen Whelan – Ribbon, 6th (12.150)
- Junior group (Vancouver, BC) – Rope, 5th (11.750)
- Senior group (Toronto, ON) – Hoop, 4th (14.950)
- Senior group – Ball, 4th (14.400)
- Ashlee Chan, Kiara-Carin Kacvinsky, and Kiana Wilson (Oakville Gymnastics) – 12-18 women’s group, 5th (24.070)
- Karyzza Guillermo and Nikki Krigos (Gymnastics Mississauga) – 11-16 women’s pair, 5th (25.500)
Please click here for full Rhythmic Gymnastics results and Acrobatic Gymnastics results.
For a competition schedule and live scoring, click here.
SOURCE: Gymnastics Canada