Canada qualifies for women’s team finals in 4th position at 2018 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships
The team, composed of Ellie Black of Halifax, NS, Sophie Marois of Île Bizard, QC, Brooklyn Moors of Cambridge, ON, Shallon Olsen of Surrey, BC, and Ana Padurariu of Whitby, ON scored a total of 163.987 to finish behind the USA in first, Russia in second, and China in third. The fourth place finish beats their record-setting placing of 5th at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The team final will take place on Tuesday, October 30th.
“I’m really proud of what the team was able to do today,” said Black who was a member of the Olympic team in 2012 that had that record-setting performance. “We went out there focused, but ready to enjoy it and attack the routines; to be aggressive and to really stay together as a team. We hit all of our events great, we stayed positive, and I’m really proud of all of the girls. It was a new experience for some of them, but we really came together as a team and did a great job for Team Canada.”
Black, the silver medallist in the all-around competition at the last World Championships, also qualified for the individual all-around final in sixth position with a score of 54.999. She’ll be joined in the finals by Moors who scored 52.632 to finish 19th overall (following the two-per country rule). The individual all-around finals for the women will take place on Thursday, November 1st.
Olsen laid down two amazing vaults to qualify in second for the vault finals, just behind Simone Biles of the USA. Black will also compete in the vault finals on Friday, November 2nd.
The final day of the competition will see World Championships rookie Padurariu competing in the beam finals, along with Black, and Moors competing in the floor finals.
“I’m ecstatically happy. Half of our team was brand new; a young team – their first time competing at a world championships, and the girls did an absolutely amazing job,” said national team coach Alex Bard. “They were focused, and they did their best. We talked to them before they went out and they said they would do it for Canada and they did it — I couldn’t be prouder.”
For the full schedule and results visit: https://live.gymnastics.sport/schedule.php?idevent=13335
Source: Gymnastics Canada