Gymnastics Canada – HALIFAX, NS (February 4, 2017) – Gymnastics Canada is honoured to announce the 2016 artistic gymnastics athletes and coaches of the year. These athletes, with the support of their experienced and talented coaches, achieved some historic results, along with many podium and personal-best performances throughout the year.

The awards will be presented at 8:30pm on Saturday, February 4^th at the Elite Canada competition taking place at the Canada Games Centre in Halifax, NS.

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS SENIOR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR:

Ellie Black (Halifax, NS) & Isabela Onyshko (Brandon, MB)

Ellie Black from the Halifax Alta Gymnastics Club in Halifax, NS, and Isabela Onyshko from the Brandon Eagles Gymnastics Club in Brandon, MB, headlined Canada’s women’s artistic gymnastics team at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this past summer. Both qualified for the women’s all-around finals where Black narrowly missed the podium, finishing 5^th overall – a Canadian best-ever performance. Onyshko, the senior all-around champion at both the 2016 Elite Canada and Canadian Championship competitions, finished 18^th all-around, and also finished 8^th in the beam apparatus finals in Rio.

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS SENIOR COACHES OF THE YEAR:

David Kikuchi (ChPC) & Keiji Yamanaka (Ellie Black)

As a former two-time Olympic gymnast, David Kikuchi, along with Lorie Henderson, was the head team coach at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. He also coached at the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and the World Championships in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Keiji Yamanaka has been coaching in Halifax for over 30 years and was Ellie Black’s first coach in the sport.

Lorie Henderson (ChPC) & Joe Stouffer (ChPC) (Isabela Onyshko)

Lorie Henderson and Joe Stouffer both coach out of the Brandon Eagles Gymnastics Club where last year, they coached Isabela Onyshko to the Olympic team and had two Canadian all-around champions – Onyshko at the senior level and Quinn Skrupa at the novice level.

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS JUNIOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:

Ana Padurariu (Oshawa, ON)

Ana Padurariu from Gemini Gymnastics in Oshawa, ON had a phenomenal fall competitive season, taking home five gold medals from the 2016 Pan American Championships including the all-around title. She then went on to completely dominate the field at the 2016 Olympic Hopes Cup, winning gold in all events. Padurariu was also the 2016 Canadian all-around champion.

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS JUNIOR COACHES OF THE YEAR:

Elena Davydova & Valery Yahchybekov

Elena Davydova has the distinction of being an athlete at the Olympics (1980 Olympic all-around champion for the Soviet Union), an Olympic coach (London 2012), and an Olympic judge (Rio 2016). She is also on the FIG women’s technical committee. She and Valery coach out of Gemini Gymnastics in Oshawa, ON.

Before joining Gemini Gymnastics, Valery was the Head Coach of the Lvov Russian Training Centre in Ukraine and was named the Canadian Junior High Performance Coach of the Year in 2005, 2006, and 2010.

MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS SENIOR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:

Scott Morgan, Vancouver, BC

Scott Morgan from Flicka Gymnastics in Vancouver, BC was Canada’s sole representative in men’s artistic gymnastics at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro where he finished 18^th on floor, 27^th on rings, and 14^th on vault. Morgan was also the 2016 Canadian champion on floor and rings.

MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS SENIOR COACH OF THE YEAR:

Vali Stan (ChPC), Vancouver, BC

Vali has been coaching at Flicka Gymnastics Club since 2002 and has coached at three World Championships – 2013, 2014, and 2015; the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, the Pan American Games in 2015, and the Olympic Games in 2016.

MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS AGE GROUP COACH OF THE YEAR:

Adrian Balan, Laval, QC

Adrian Balan from Laval Excellence in Laval, QC is the coach of some of Canada’s top young talent including national team athletes William Emard, Felix Dolci, and Olivier Menezes-Thibault. Dolci was the novice all-around Canadian champion in 2016 while Emard finished second in the junior division.

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