Rose MacLennan mid-performance

MacLennan wins silver at world trampoline championships

Rosie MacLennan continued to show her quality winning silver at the 2014 world trampoline championships less than a year ahead of the 2015 Pan American Games at home.

The reigning Olympic and World Champion in women’s trampoline finished second to Liu Lingling of China by scores of 55.990 to 55.130. MacLennan had a higher degree of difficulty in her routine. The bronze medal went to Hanna Harchonak of Belarus.

MacLennan landed three triple somersaults, it was the first time she accomplished this feat in competition.

Watch MacLennan in qualifications via FIG Channel:

“There have been girls who have tried it and it’s definitely going to be a bit of a race to see who can get the three triples conquered first,” MacLennan said in a Gymnastics Canada release.

“I was really excited to get out there and do three triples in my routine for the first time,”

“Obviously it would have been nice to defend the title, but I’m really happy with how things went this week.”

RELATED: Trampoline team hit by injuries

Canada was without three-time Olympic medallist Karen Cockburn and Beijing 2008 men’s silver medal winner Jason Burnett at the championships in Daytona Beach, Florida. Cockburn broke her ankle in training last week and Burnett had knee surgery recently.

In Cockburn’s absence Samantha Smith had a breakthrough performance for Canada advancing to the women’s final and finishing eighth, three places better than a year ago.

“It makes me really excited to get back in the gym,” Smith said. “I’ve been able to see what the level of competition is like in a final and I’ve got a lot of things to work on.”