Team USA, composed of Sean Melton, Robert Neff, Genki Suzuki, and Riley Loos, took the gold medal with a total score of 247.925, while Team Canada, composed of Payne, Karstadt, Corey Paterson of Montreal, and Zachary Clay of Chilliwack, BC took silver with a total score of 247.250.
“I think the guys did an awesome job. It’s the first time they’ve all put their hands-up since the World Championships in Doha, and I can see big efforts being made, and big progress,” said Ed Van Hoof, head national team coach for the men’s artistic team at Gymnastics Canada. “I think our consistency factor is getting there, and it’s showing in the E scores. A little bit of upgrading here and there, and tweaking in terms of the construction of the routines, just to make them more secure, and a boost in confidence will carry them through. This is a good start for the year.”
Payne had a phenomenal night to take the silver medal in the all-around competition with a total score of 83.275 behind Melton from the USA who took gold with a score of 83.625. Payne had the top scores of the night on pommel horse and high bar, and the third highest-score on floor and rings.
“I’m really happy with my performance, and the team’s performance,” said Payne who is a four-time World Championships team member for Canada (2017, 2014, 2011, and 2009). “I think we showed a good improvement from the last few months. I’m going to keep my training the way it’s going, and keep competing this way, and I think if I do that, I’ll be able to help the team get to where we want to be.”
Karstadt, who was taking a break from his NCAA competition schedule with the University of Minnesota, also had a great meet, laying down the second highest score on rings, and third-highest on pommel horse for a total score of 81.450.
In the junior competition, Evgeny Siminiuc of Mississauga, ON took the gold medal in the all-around competition with a total score of 73.364, just edging his Canada Winter Games Team Ontario teammate and fellow Futures Gymnastics athlete Dorian Doan, also of Mississauga, who took the silver with a score of 73.064. Anthony Balan of Laval, QC took the bronze with a score of 72.431.
“It was a actually a pretty rough day for me,” said Siminiuc who was a member of the gold-medal winning Team Ontario at the recent Canada Winter Games. “I had a couple of mistakes on pommel horse, and had a rough floor day, but I managed to come out with the gold medal in the all-around which was great.”
The competition wraps up tomorrow with the junior and senior apparatus finals starting at 5:25 pm in the International Arena at Winsport at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.
For full results, please visit: http://www.sportzsoft.com/meet/meetWeb.dll/MeetResults?MeetId=2C60D53A7BC3656F0FCAE3317EE1FD31
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