Gymnastics Canada – CALGARY, AB (May 7, 2017) – Gymnastics Canada is pleased to announce the names of the athletes and coaches nominated to represent Canada in trampoline gymnastics at the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland from July 20^th to 30^th.

The World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games. Aerobic, acrobatic, and rhythmic gymnastics will also be contested at the Games but Canada has not qualified any athletes in these disciplines.

“Canada earned our berths by making finals at the 2015 World Trampoline Gymnastics Championships in Denmark,” said Stephan Duchesne, High Performance Director for trampoline gymnastics at Gymnastics Canada. “These athletes have worked really hard since then, putting in consistently high-ranking performances to earn their spots. The World Games are an amazing opportunity for these athletes and coaches to perform against the world’s best and I’m confident we are going to see some great performances.”

Who: 3 athletes, 2 coaches

What: 2017 World Games – an international multi-sport event for sports and disciplines that are not contested at the Olympic Games

Where: Wroclaw, Poland

When: July 20 – 30, 2017

Website: https://theworldgames2017.com/en/              

Social: #twg2017

THE ATHLETES:

TAMARA O’BRIEN

EVENT: Women’s Double Mini-Trampoline (DMT)
RESIDENCE: Coquitlam, BC
HOMETOWN: Coquitlam, BC
CLUB: Shasta Trampoline
Coach: Curt De Wolff

First time competing at the World Games… 2016 Canadian Senior Champion in DMT…  2016 Senior Pan American Championships – GOLD (Team DMT); SILVER (Ind. DMT)… 2015 World Championships – GOLD (Team DMT); 9^th (Ind. DMT).

QUOTE: “I am so excited and honoured. It’s such an amazing opportunity and it’s really the highest event that you can go to in this sport and to be named to this team is something I’m really grateful for, and I’m really excited to represent Canada.”

JON SCHWAIGER

EVENTS: Men’s Double-Mini-Trampoline (DMT); Men’s Tumbling (TUM)
RESIDENCE: Ancaster, ON
HOMETOWN: Calgary, AB
CLUB: Dynamo Gymnastics
COACH: Denis Vachon

STATS: Competed at 2013 World Games, finished 6^th in TUM… 5-time Canadian Champion in men’s TUM (2012-2016)… 2015 Canadian Champion in men’s DMT; Silver in 2016… 2016 Senior Pan American Championships – GOLD (TUM); SILVER (DMT); GOLD (Team DMT)… 2016 World Cup China – 4^th (TUM); 2015 World Championships – SILVER (Team DMT); 5^th (Team TUM); 12^th (TUM); 19^th (DMT)… 2014 World Cup Belarus – BRONZE (TUM).

QUOTE: “I’m thrilled to be named to my second World Games team. Getting to compete in both tumbling and DMT this time makes it that much better than the first Games. Since we earned the spots at the World Championships in 2015, the focus has been on solidifying the spots to get to compete. With that achieved, it will be exciting now to get to prep for the competition in the coming months.”

JORDAN SUGRIM

EVENT: Women’s Tumbling (TUM)
RESIDENCE: Mississauga, ON
HOMETOWN: Etobicoke, ON
CLUB: Dynamo Gymnastics
COACH: Denis Vachon

STATS: First time competing at the World Games… 3-time Canadian Champions in women’s TUM (2009, 2015, 2016)… 2016 World Cup China – 4^th (TUM); 2015 World Championships – 7^th (TUM); 2014 World Cup Belarus – GOLD (TUM)… First Canadian women to land a full, full, straight in competition.

QUOTE: “I am incredibly excited and proud to be named to the World Games team for this year. I’ve worked really hard with the thought of the Games in the back of my mind at all times, so to have the confirmation that I’ve been named is an unimaginable feeling. I’ve been training as if I was chosen, and I can’t wait to represent Canada and show everyone the hard work I’ve put in.”

COACHES:

Denis Vachon, Guelph, ON – Team Coach

Curt De Wolff, New Westminister, BC – Personal Coach

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

July 20: Team departs Canada

July 25: Qualifications & Finals – Women’s TUM; Qualifications & Finals – Men’s DMT

July 26:  Qualifications & Finals – Men’s TUM; Qualifications & Finals – Women’s DMT

July 27: Team returns to Canada

CANADIAN TRAMPOLINE GYMNASTICS MEDAL TOTALS AT WORLD GAMES (From 1981 – 2013):

7 Gold, 4 Silver, 8 Bronze

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. Visit www.gymcan.org for more information, or follow us @CDNgymnastics

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For more information, contact:

Julie Forget
Director, Communications and Marketing
Gymnastics Canada
Cell: 819.210.2064
Email: jforget@gymcan.org