Canada’s gymnastics team unveiled for 2025 FISU Summer World University Games

U SPORTS, the Canadian representative of FISU, the International University Sports Federation, and Gymnastics Canada have announced the roster for Team Canada gymnastics athletes at the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany.

The team is led by 2024 Paris Olympians Félix Dolci of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, Que., and William Émard of Laval, Que. Dolci won the men’s all-around gold at the 2023 Pan-Am Games, the first Canadian to do so since 1963. On the women’s side, Evanda Zlobec of Baie-d’Urfé, Que., won the all-around competition at this year’s Luxembourg Open, while Maddison Hajjar of Dollard-des-Ormeau, Que., won two event medals at the same meet. Rhythmic gymnastics is led by Suzanna Shahbazian of Montreal, who won a team gold and an individual silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

The women’s artistic gymnastics team comprises four members:

The men’s artistic gymnastics team includes the following five members: 

The two athletes competing in women’s rhythmic gymnastics are as follows:

Team Canada is making its return to the FISU Summer World University Games, after missing the 2023 event. The 2025 edition will be staged in the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region of Germany, with rhythmic gymnastics set for July 17-19 and artistic gymnastics from July 22-26, both in Essen.

Team Canada has won 15 medals in artistic gymnastics, with the first coming at Universiade ’83 in Edmonton, where Anita Botnen, Anne-Marie De Serres, Elfi Schlegel, and Sara Aggiss combined to win bronze at the team event. Canada’s last medals in the discipline came at Taipei in 2017, when four-time Olympian Ellie Black and 2012 Olympian Brittany Rogers combined to win four individual medals, including gold for Black in the beam and for Rogers in the vault, and won silver in the team event with Briannah Tsang and Jessica Dowling. 

Canada’s only medal in rhythmic gymnastics was a bronze by Susie Cushman at the 1991 Summer Universiade in Sheffield, England. 

The artistic gymnastics squad will be led by coaches Julie Charron of St-Basile-le-Grand, Que., Monica Nolet of Blainville, Que. and Johanne Soucy of St-Joseph-du-Lac, Que., with Alexandra Zaluski of Saskatoon attached as medical personnel. 

The rhythmic gymnastics coach is Natalia Popova of Montreal.

All team lists are subject to change prior to the Games start date and all nominations are subject to approval by the U SPORTS international office.