Canada’s gymnastics team expects to be challenging for medals in most events at the first-ever Olympic Youth Games to be held in Singapore August 14-26.

Leading the way are artistic gymnasts Robert Watson of Coquitlam, B.C, and Madeline Gardiner of Cambridge, Ont., trampolinists Mariah Madigan of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Curtis Gerein of Kelowna, B.C., and rhythmic gymnast Maria Kitkarska of Montreal.
Competing in the rythmic gymnastics group event are Melodie Omidi and Katrina Cameron, both of Mississauga, Ont., and sisters Angelika and Victoria Reznik of Toronto.
For the entire Canadian team, qualifying for the Youth Olympics has been a major stepping stone on the way to the ultimate goal of competing at an Olympic Games.
For some, like Watson and Gardiner, who are both in the running for a spot at the 2012 Summer Games, the Youth Olympics will give them a taste of what to expect at large multi-sport competition.
“I’m really excited about this competition,” says Watson, a national-junior team member who won a silver medal on rings competing as a senior at the Canadian championships in May.
“My goal is too keep things really simple, hit all my routines and challenge for a medal in the all around and a few individual events.”
In the women’s gymnastics competition, Gardiner has added two new moves to her uneven bars routine and has been working hard on consistency on beam, floor, and vault.
“This is my big goal for the year, it’s more real every day now that the start of the Games is getting so close,” said Gardiner, ranked second all around at the 2010 Canadian senior championships. “It’s very motivating competing against the best in the world.”
In trampoline Madigan, the 2010 Canadian women’s youth champion, and Gerein, winner of the men’s individual title at the Canada Cup last month, are both honing their skills with the goal of earning a much coveted spot at a future Olympics after the 2012 London Games.
“The really big goal for me is the Olympic Games, so this is going to be a a huge step in that direction,” says Madigan, who showed her great potential when she finished third behind Olympic veterans Karen Cockburn and Rosannagh MacLennan in an open field earlier this year at the Elite Canada meet.
“Whenever I compete, I always pretend I’m competing as a senior, even if I am in the youth division,” says Madigan. “I want to know how my scores compare and set a high standard for myself.”
Canada’s rhythmic gymnastics squad will have a double chance at medals with entry’s in both the individual and group events.
“We’ve been training really hard all summer,” said group team member Katrina Cameron.
“We’re hoping to come up with a really good routine and win a bronze medal.”
The Youth Olympics will attract 3,600 athletes between the age of 14 and 18 from 200 countries competing in 26 sports.
The full Canadian team includes 39 women and 21 men competing in 18 sports.