“This was more than I expected, this has been incredible,” Black said. “The support here has been amazing. I was so proud of our team coming in silver, and individually in my finals I was not expecting half of this. So thank you to everyone.”
Black scored a total of 15.050 in the beam event, a full point ahead of Megan Skaggs of the USA who took silver with a total of 14.050. Winning bronze was Quebec’s own Victoria-Kayen Woo with a total of 13.650.
“I was already surprised to qualify for the final on beam, because this apparatus is a little pet peeve of mine,” said Woo who trains out of the Gym-Richelieu club. “It already felt like a gift to be there, so to win a medal was really the best reward!”
Black rounded out the evening by putting down another dominant performance on the floor exercise, scoring a total of 14.400 to win her third gold medal of the Games. American Amelia Hundley took the silver with a total of 14.200 while Ana Gomez Porras from Guatemala took bronze with a total of 14.150.
Scott Morgan (BC) started things off for the men’s team on the vault finishing 6th with a total of 14.575. Manrique Larduet of Cuba took the gold with a total of 15.125; Donnell Whittenburg from the USA took silver with a total of 14.962 and Caio Souza of Brazil won bronze with a total of 14.925.
Kevin Lytywn (AB/ON) then took to the stage to see if he could bring home a medal for Canada in the last final of the night and he did not disappoint, putting down what he called, “the best performance of my life” to win silver with a total of 15.475. Jossimar Calvo Moreno won gold with a score of 15.700 and the former champion in this event, Paul Ruggeri from the USA, took the bronze with a total of 15.40.
The next stop on the road to Rio for these gymnasts will be the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland this October where they will hope to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Huge congratulations to the entire coaching team at the Games: Dave Brubaker (women’s national team director), Tony Smith (men’s national team director), women’s team coaches Lorie Henderson and David Kikuchi, and men’s team coaches Valentin Stan and Jason Woodnick! Huge thanks as well to all of the clubs represented by these gymnasts who have played a huge part in their success.
Next up at the Pan Am Games is the Rhythmic gymnastics competition which starts on Friday, July 17 at 10AM EST with the hoop and ball individual apparatus qualifications, and the group ribbons qualifiers. The trampoline competition starts on Saturday, July 18 at 7PM EST with the 1st and 2nd competition rounds.