Canada’s Santiago 2023 gymnastics team announced
TORONTO (September 27, 2023) – Gymnastics Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s gymnastics team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
The Team Canada gymnastics team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:
Athletes:
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics:
René Cournoyer (Repentigny, Que.)
Zachary Clay (Chilliwack, B.C.)
Félix Dolci (Laval, Que.)
William Émard (Laval, Que.)
Jayson Rampersad (Oakville, Ont.)
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics:
Cassie Lee (Toronto, Ont.)
Frédérique Sgarbossa (Gatineau, Que.)
Ava Stewart (Bowmanville, Ont.)
Aurélie Tran (Repentigny, Que.)
Sydney Turner (Port Coquitlam, B.C.)
Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual:
Tatiana Cocsanova (Montreal, Que.)
Carmel Kallemaa (Barrie, Ont.)
Rhythmic Gymnastics Group:
Katherina Bakhmutova (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
Victoria Smolianova (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
Karina Kamenetsky (Brantford, Ont.)
Christina Savchenko (Toronto, Ont.)
Emily Huseynov (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
Men’s Trampoline:
Rémi Aubin (Laval, Que.)
Keegan Soehn (Red Deer, Alta.)
Women’s Trampoline:
Gabriella Flynn (Whistler, B.C.)
Rachel Tam (Toronto, Ont.)
The men’s artistic gymnastics team, led by Olympian René Cournoyer, will be headed to Santiago just a couple of weeks after competing at the 2023 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships where they are aiming to qualify a full team for Paris 2024.
Before making his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 where he was Canada’s lone entry in men’s artistic gymnastics, Cournoyer, represented Team Canada at the Lima 2019 and Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, as well as the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. At Lima 2019, Cournoyer helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team event – the first time since 1999 that Canada had won a men’s team medal at the Pan Am Games.
The determined team looks to build off their recent successful performances at the RomGym Trophy held earlier this month in Romania where they took home 9 medals including a silver in the team competition. William Émard won silver medals in rings, floor and the all-around final, Zachary Clay and Jayson Ramperstad stood on the podium in pommel horse with a gold and silver, respectively. Émard’s past success as an all-arounder includes posting Canada’s best ever world championship result in the men’s all-around with his eighth-place finish in 2021.
Canada has already qualified a full women’s artistic gymnastics team for Paris 2024, thanks to a historic bronze medal from the 2022 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.
Though all five of the women artistic gymnasts will be making their Pan American Games debuts, Ava Stewart and Aurélie Tran will lean into major-Games experience. Stewart made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 while Tran represented Canada at the Cali 2021 Junior Pan American Games and served as Team Canada’s co-flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony.
Both women, along with Cassie Lee and Frédérique Sgarbossa (as alternate), will be representing Canada at the 2023 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships which begin on September 30.
In trampoline, Santiago 2023 will mark a return to the Pan Am Games for Keegan Soehn after an eight-year absence. He won back-to-back gold medals at Guadalajara 2011 and Toronto 2015. It will be the first Pan Am Games for Rachel Tam, who has competed at the last four world championships.
“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to compete at my first Pan Am Games! I’m honoured to represent Canada on a major international stage,” said Tam.
In rhythmic gymnastics, the top-ranked athlete in the individual all-around and the top-ranked group in all-around qualifications will secure quota spots for Paris 2024, provided their NOC is not already qualified.
Carmel Kallemaa is the only rhythmic gymnast on Team Canada with previous Pan Am Games experience. At Lima 2019, she competed in the group events but will be switching to individual events in Santiago.
“I am very happy that all my hard work is paying off and I will represent Canada at the Pan American Games 2023!,” said Carmel Kallemaa. “I enjoyed the Games and am now looking forward to my individual events. It is not easy to switch between group and individual but with the right training and focusing on goals, everything is possible. I am enjoying every step of the way and feeling proud to represent our Canada.”
Artistic gymnastics will take place October 21-25 (Days 1 to 5), rhythmic gymnastics from November 1-4 (Days 12 to 15) and trampoline gymnastics will take place November 3-4 (Days 14 to 15). All disciplines will take place at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos of the Parque Estadio Nacional.
“Welcome to Team Canada, gymnastics team! I’m so excited to have the privilege to watch you somersault through the competition live,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “Let’s stick those landings and bring home some golden moments!”
Team Canada’s gymnastics team alternate athletes, coaches and support staff for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:
Alternate Athletes (Non-Travelling)
Rielle Bonne (Mississauga, Ont.)
Ioannis Chronopolous (Milton, Ont.)
Shallon Olsen (Vancouver, B.C.)
Elizabet Piskunov (Markham, Ont.)
Clara Raposo (Toronto, Ont.)
Nathan Shuh (Kitchener, Ont.)
Suzanna Shahbazian (Montreal, Que.)
Coaches
Adrian Balan (Bucharest, Romania) – Coach
Lisa Cowan (Toronto, Ont.) – Coach
Elena Davydova (Oshawa, Ont.) – Coach
Katerine Dusseault (St-Jérôme, Que.) – Coach
Christian Gallardo (Columbus, Ohio) – National Team Coach
Ed Van Hoof (Stainforth, England) – National Team Coach
Tatsiana Kastsenkava (Maple, Ont.) – National Team Coach
Martin Myers (Vaughan, Ont.) – Coach
Natalia Popova (Montreal, Que.) – National Team Coach
Jean-Sebastien Tougas (Montreal, Que.) – Coach
Antoine Vallières (Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Que.) – Coach
Support Staff
Claire Biafore (Toronto, Ont.) – Integrated Support Team
Cyrille Brindamour (Montreal, Que.) – Integrated Support Team
Karen Cockburn (Toronto, Ont.) – Team Leader
Patrick Desjardins (Welland, Ont.) – Team Leader
Rachel Gauthier (Scarborough, Ont.) – Integrated Support Team
Lorie Henderson (Brandon, Man.) – Team Leader
Greg Jackson (Milton, Ont.) – Team Leader
Janika Moelder (Barrie, Ont.) – Team Leader
Stefanie Moser (Scarborough, Ont.) – Integrated Support Team
Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.
The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Katia Perin, Manager, Communications
Gymnastics Canada
C: 514-358-4194
E: comms@gymcan.org
Tara MacBournie, Team Canada Santiago 2023 Sport Communications Lead
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca