Canadian gymnasts set for busy weekend at home and abroad
March 11, 2011
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Canadian gymnasts are set for a busy weekend with major competitions in Winnipeg and Montreal and an international trampoline meet in South Africa.
Leading the way at the Jannie Jansen Invitational trampoline and tumbling event in Pretoria, South Africa are 2008 Olympic silver medallist Jason Burnett and 2010 world championship bronze medal winner Rosannagh MacLennan, both of Toronto. Burnett will be competing for the first time since breaking his leg last July as he takes aim at his sixth straight Canadian men’s title in May. Other members of the Canadian team are world double mini women’s champion Corissa Boychuk and Julie Warnock, both of Airdrie, Alta., and tumblers Alex Siefert of Calgary, Denis Vachon and Emily Smith of Burlington, Ont. Vachon, a seven-time national men’s tumbling champion, is making a comeback after retiring in 2008 to become a full-time coach.
Meanwhile at the L'International Gymnix in Montreal, Canada’s top female gymnasts will face tough competition in both the individual senior competition and in the Junior Cup.Among the medal contenders in the senior event are Madeline Gardiner of Cambridge, Ont., and Peng Peng Lee of Toronto in a field of over 60 athletes from Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Belgium and Puerto Rico.
In the Junior Cup team event, two Canadian groups anchored by national junior champion Victoria Moors of Cambridge, Ont., go up against a strong international field including squads from Russia, Great Britain and Mexico.
Canada’s rhythmic gymnasts will also be in action at Elite Canada in Winnipeg with all eyes focussed on rising star Patricia Bezzoubenko of Toronto, the clear favourite in the junior competition, and Nerissa Mo of Vancouver, Maria Chamilova of Maple, Ont., and Maria Kitkarska of Montreal in the senior event.
In the group competition Canada’s top competitors will continue their quest for a berth at the 2012 Olympics.
Leading the way are Rose Cossar of Toronto, Karah Klodt, Burlington, Ont., Alexandra Landry, Ajax, Ont., Alexandra Lukashova, Toronto, Kelsey Titmarsh, Thornhill, Ont., and Angelika Reznik of Toronto.
