The night started out with Jackson Payne of Edmonton, AB, the reigning senior men’s artistic gymnastics all-around champion, who had ruptured his Achilles tendon just before the Pan American Games in Toronto this past summer, putting on a show for all of his gathered family and friends by retaining his title with a final score of 83.950. Silver went to Justin Karstadt of Toronto, ON with a total score of 83.800, and bronze to Rene Cournoyer of Repentigny, QC with a score of 83.100.
“It was a long year back. I felt really good out there today and it feels good to be able to win in front of my family and friends. I had a few anxious errors that I need to fix, but overall, physically I’m back to the way I was a year ago, and I feel like I still have some left,” said Payne, who, along with several of the senior men, is also battling it out for the lone spot available to them on Canada’s Olympic team this summer. The apparatus finals on Saturday should paint a clear picture for the coaching staff of who that athlete will be.
An Olympic selection is also on the line for the senior women’s artistic gymnastics athletes, and Isabela Onyhsko of Brandon, MB and Ellie Black of Halifax, NS were neck and neck throughout the night to take the all-around title, with an error on the uneven bars by Black finally leaving an opening for Onyshko to claim the title (58.550). Black ended up finishing second (56.650), followed by Rose-Kaying Woo of Brossard, QC in third (55.375). Onyhsko also took gold on the uneven bars (14.675) and beam (15.100), and bronze on the floor (13.975). Black was victorious on the floor (14.300), placed second on beam (14.400), and was third on vault (14.900). Shallon Olsen of Surrey, BC took gold on the vault (15.050).
“We came into nationals really focusing on my routines and the D and E scores, which are what are going to give me the points to make the Olympic team, so winning is just icing on the cake – nice icing!” said Onyhsko who also won the all-around title at the Elite Canada competition this past February.
There were multiple finals in trampoline gymnastics, with highlights including reigning Canadian and Olympic champion Rosie MacLennan of King City, ON easily taking the gold in senior women’s trampoline (157.295), over teammates Samantha Smith of Toronto, ON (150.310), and Samantha Sendel, also of Toronto (150.45). Jason Burnett of Toronto, ON did the same in senior men’s trampoline, taking the title with a score of 161.375 over Trevor Stirling of Kelowna, BC (157.425), and Keegan Soehn of Red Deer, AB (156.750).
Jon Schwaiger recently moved from Calgary, AB to Burlington, ON to train with Denis Vachon at the Burlington BG’s club, and ended up tying Vachon’s record of five straight Canadian titles won in men’s tumbling with a final score of 147.400. Schwaiger was also looking to retain his title in senior men’s double mini-trampoline, but had to settle for fourth, leaving Kyle Carragher of Port Coquitlam, BC with the win (140.100), over Jean-Christophe Martel of Quebec (135.800), and Mark Armstrong of Alberta (135.300).
For full results, please visit: http://gymcan.org/events-results/2016-canadian-gymnastics-championships-mens-and-womens-artistic-and-trampoline/results
ABOUT GYMNASTICS CANADA
First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. Gymnastics Canada works closely with the twelve Provincial Federations and the 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of all participants. From athlete development, to coaching and judging education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experience through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming. Visit www.gymcan.org for more information, or follow us @CDNgymnastics.
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For more information, contact:
Julie Forget
Director, Communications and Marketing
Gymnastics Canada
Cell: 819.210.2064
Email: jforget@gymcan.org