Uchida had some competition for the top of the podium this year, with strong challenges from eventual all-around silver medallist Natalie Garcia from Mississauga Newnorth RGC, and bronze medallist Tatiana Cocsanova from Questo in Montreal, QC.
Uchida scored a personal best of 21.000 to take gold in hoop, and silver in ball and ribbon. Garcia captured silver in hoop, and bronze in clubs and ribbon, while Cocsanova – a first-year senior – captured gold in clubs with the highest score of the competition – a 21.100, while also taking home bronze medals from hoop and ball. Michel Vivier of Viva RGC – also a first-year senior, and last year’s junior all-around champion, captured gold in ribbon, and finished just off the podium in fourth, while Sophie Crane, also of Jusco RGC, took gold in ball, and finished 6th in the all-around.
“It was nice to start finals with a strong routine, and to score a personal best. I was really, really hesitant in competition A, and I was feeling the pressure, and I think I was trying a bit too hard. So today, I was trying to go in a bit more fearless, because obviously cautious didn’t work, so what did I have to lose?” commented Uchida following the competition. “I had a lot of fun doing my last ribbon routine – it wasn’t the cleanest ribbon I’ve ever done, but I feel like I kind of let myself go, and felt like myself with that routine and had the most fun out there.”
When asked about the challenge from the new seniors, Uchida added: “I think Canada has a really bright future with all of these new seniors coming up – it definitely makes things more interesting in competitions because it can go any way for anyone, and so I think literally everyone has to up their game now, and I think it’s going to bring a really good future for gymnastics in Canada.”
“It’s really surreal that I won gold today – I’m so happy,” said Cocsanova who cites Uchida as one of her idols. “I’m really proud of myself because this was one of my most stable competitions. I still need to work on my ribbon routine because I had the same mistakes in qualifications and the finals, but Katherine (Uchida) said that it’s her favourite routine and so that really encourages me to work harder.”
Savchenko entered the finals in second position behind her Jusco RGC teammate Emily Huseynov, but laid down four outstanding routines in the finals to sweep the podium. Huseynov settled for silver while Adel Karasik from Ritmica RGC in Concord, ON took bronze.
“I was really nervous during podium training because I was dropping a lot, and in competition ‘A’ I didn’t do a single clean routine and I was second, so I was kind of sad about that,” said Savchenko. “Today, I pulled myself together and hit all four of my routines, so I’m really proud of myself.”
In the group competitions, the Silhouettes of York Junior Group swept the junior podium, taking gold in both the apparatus and all-around competitions, while in the senior competition, the Grace senior FIG group from BC dominated, also taking gold in both the apparatus and all-around competitions.
For full results, please visit: http://ksis.eu/resultx.php?id_prop=1691
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