Cournoyer scored 12.700 points to finish in fifth place in the pommel horse event, which was ultimately won by Lucas De Souza Bitencourt of Brazil.
“I felt really confident and excited coming into the competition because I had everything to prove and nothing to lose,” said Cournoyer of his experience. “During the pommel horse final, I was a little nervous. I was watching some of the finalist fall during their routines and that made me doubt myself, but in the end, I made it trough my routine and I’m very satisfied with my performance.”
Cournoyer also finished 9th on the parallel bars, just missing the finals as well as 16th on floor and 22nd on high bar. Canadian teammate Thierry Pellerin of Levis, QC finished 17th on floor and 11th on pommel horse.
“This competition was only my third real International event and I’m gaining a lot of experience every time,” said Pellerin following competition. “I think I’m headed in the right direction, but I still have a lot to learn.”
Cournoyer and Pellerin will both compete at the Canadian Championships May 23 to 28th in Montreal and are looking to use their international experience to their advantage: “these two World Cup have been the best preparation for the Canadian championship,” said Cournoyer. “We prepare our routines and perform in various conditions to be perfectly ready to compete next week. Also the World Cups are a great way to compare our performances with other countries and this way, we can adjust our preparation if needed.”
“I think World Cups are a great way to prepare the Canadian Championships because there is more pressure and we have real judging,” said Pellerin while reflecting on the benefits of international competition. “These events are hard to recreate in training and are good for competition preparation. So we are really lucky to have had these opportunities and we are ready to compete.”
For full results, click here.
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