2013 Summer Universiade: Two Olympians to represent Canada in gymnastics

OTTAWA (CIS) – Canadian Interuniversity Sport, in conjunction with Gymnastics Canada, announced Thursday the student-athletes and staff members who will represent Canada in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

Summer Universiade website: www.kazan2013.com/en
Team Canada website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/universiade/summer/2013

A total of 12 gymnasts will wear the Maple Leaf in Kazan, including five in women’s artistic, five in men’s artistic and two in rhythmic.

The artistic competition is set for July 7 to 10, with rhythmic following from July 14 to 16.

The Canadian roster is highlighted by a pair of 2012 Olympians, including Ellie Black, a Dalhousie University student from Halifax on the artistic side, and Kelsey Titmarsh, a Ryerson University student from Thornhill, Ont., in rhythmic events.

Rounding out the women’s artistic lineup are Erica Devereaux of Logy Bay, Nfld., Sarah Flett of Winnipeg, Natalie Gervais, also of Winnipeg, and Mackenzie Itcush of Calgary. They will be accompanied in Russia by coaches David Kikuchi and Jeremy Mosier, as well as team leader Rachelle Valel.

The men’s artistic squad is comprised of Evan Cruz of Halifax, Tariq Dowers of Mississauga, Ont., Aiden Marsden of Edmonton, Cory Paterson of Oakville, Ont., and Joshua Stuart of Richmond, B.C., who will perform under the leadership of coach Christopher Foo and team leader William Greg Jackson.

Kelsey Anderson of Vernon, B.C., joins Titmarsh on the rhythmic roster, along with team leader Tatsiana Kastsenkava.

Canada will compete at the Universiade in women’s artistic gymnastics for the first time since 1999. Over the years, Canadian women have won two medals at the FISU Games, both in 1983 in Edmonton, when Anita Botnen merited bronze at the balance beam and was also part of a third-place finish in the team competition.

Black dominated at the Canadian championships held last week in Ottawa, where she was crowned at the senior high performance level thanks to gold medals in the all-around competition and at the beam, silver in floor exercise and bronze at the vault. The 17-year-old gained national attention last summer as a surprise addition to the Olympic roster and contributed to Canada’s best-ever finish in team competition, a fifth position. She also qualified for the vault final in London, placing eighth.

On the men’s side, Cruz and Dowers are the most experienced members of a young but talented contingent.

A first-year senior national team member, Cruz has already competed at one World Cup event this year and will make a stop in Portugal on his way to Kazan for his second World Cup appearance.

Dowers made the Commonwealth Games roster as a junior in 2010 and helped Canada to a bronze medal in the team competition.

The Canadian men have captured six Universiade medals over the years, including a pair at the last biennial Games in 2011 in Shenzhen, China, where Nathan Gafuik of Calgary claimed silver at the vault and bronze in the individual all-around competition. Other Canadian podium finishes include Brandon O’Neill’s gold in floor exercise in 2005 (Izmir, Turkey), Brad Peters’ bronze at the parallel bars in 1985 (Kobe, Japan), Philippe Chartand’s gold at the high bar in 1983, as well as Warren Long’s silver at the vault, also in Edmonton.

In rhythmic gymnastics, Titmarsh was part of the first-ever Canadian senior group to earn a berth to the Olympics last summer and helped the team finish 11th overall. At the 2011 Pan American Games, the senior group amassed two silver medals and a bronze.

Anderson is a veteran of the 2011 Universiade squad. In China, the Okanagan College student placed 29th in the individual all-around event.

Canada’s lone FISU Games medal in the discipline came in 1991 in Sheffield, England, when Susie Cushman finished third in the clubs final.

ROSTER: MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

Name - School - Hometown

Evan Cruz Dalhousie Halifax, N.S.
Tariq Dowers York Mississauga, Ont.
Aiden Marsden Academy of Art Edmonton, Alta.
Cory Paterson Iowa Oakville, Ont.
Joshua Stuart BC Institute of Technology Richmond, B.C.

Position - Name - Hometown

Coach Christopher Foo Mississauga, Ont.
Team Leader William Greg Jackson Oakville, Ont.

ROSTER: WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

Name - School - Hometown

Ellie Black Dalhousie Halifax, N.S.
Erica Devereaux Memorial Logy Bay, Nfld.
Sarah Flett Manitoba Winnipeg, Man.
Natalie Gervais Winnipeg Winnipeg, Man.
Mackenzie Itcush Mount Royal Calgary, Alta.

Position - Name - Hometown

Coach David Kikuchi Halifax, N.S.
Coach Jeremy Mosier Calgary, Alta.
Team Leader Rachelle Valel Winnipeg, Man.

ROSTER: WOMEN’S RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS

Name - School - Hometown

Kelsey Anderson Okanagan College Vernon, B.C.
Kelsey Titmarsh Ryerson Thornhill, Ont.

Position - Name - Hometown

Team Leader Tatsiana Kastsenkava Maple, Ont.

CANADA’S ALL-TIME UNIVERSIADE MEDALS IN GYMNASTICS:

Artistic gymnastics

2011 (Shenzhen, China): Nathan Gafuik, vault (argent)
2011 (Shenzhen, China): Nathan Gafuik, individual all-around (bronze)
2005 (Izmir, Turkey): Brandon O’Neill, floor (gold)
1985 (Kobe, Japan): Brad Peters, parallel bars (bronze)
1983 (Edmonton, Canada): Philippe Chartrand, high bar (gold)
1983 (Edmonton, Canada): Warren Long, vault (silver)
1983 (Edmonton, Canada): Anita Botnen, beam (bronze)
1983 (Edmonton, Canada): Women Team Competition (bronze)

Rhythmic gymnastics

1991 (Sheffield, England): Susie Cushman, clubs (bronze)

About the Summer Universiade

The Summer Universiade is an international multi-sport event that takes place every two years and is second only to the Olympic Games in the number of participating athletes and countries. The Universiade is open to competitors who are at least 17 and less than 28 years of age as of January 1 in the year of the Games. Participants must be full-time students at a post-secondary institution (university, college, CEGEP) or have graduated from a post-secondary institution in the year preceding the event.

About Gymnastics Canada

First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. Gymnastics Canada works closely with the twelve Provincial Federations and the 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of all participants. From athlete development to coaching and judging education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experience through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming. For more information, visit www.gymcan.org.

About Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, 11,000 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 54 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca or follow us on:

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