Vancouver, BC (February 9, 2022) — Gymnastics BC (GymBC) is pleased to announce the addition of two Olympians to the roles of Provincial Performance Advisor. In the discipline of Trampoline, we welcome Jason Burnett, OLY and in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics, we are excited to add Richard Ikeda, OLY, to our roster of passionate leaders.

GymBC works to deliver positive and diverse gymnastics experiences for province wide participation at all levels. “Bringing their depth of knowledge and experience to our sport organization will act as a catalyst to motivate our athletes, staff, clubs and gymnastics family” stated Nigel Loring, CEO, GymBC. “We have all followed the competitive careers of Jason and Richard and are excited with the experience and passion they bring to our sport”.

Jason Burnett – Trampoline

Jason Burnett is a 3-time Olympian in the sport of trampoline. He is an Olympic silver medalist, 12-time World Cup medalist, 11-time Canadian National champion and holds the World Record for the highest degree of difficulty.

Burnett began competing internationally at the age of 14 and made his Olympic debut at the 2008 Games in Beijing where he performed the most difficult routine of the competition to bring home the silver medal. 

He continued to represent Canada at the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London where he reached the 8-man final and in Rio at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games where he finished 14th.

After retiring from competition in 2020, Burnett continues to remain involved in the sport as a coach, training camp clinician, judge and as the Trampoline Representative for the Pan American Gymnastic Union.

Richard Ikeda – Men’s Artistic Gymnastics

Richard Ikeda competed and excelled at a myriad of competitions across the globe, including the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. During his competitive career, Ikeda won 3 National Championships and a Silver Medal in the Team event at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

The culmination of Ikeda’s remarkable gymnastics career took place at his eighth World Championships in 2003, where Canada’s ninth-place finish ensured the team’s entry into the 2004 Athens Olympics.  

Since his retirement as a member of the Canadian National team, after 13 years, he has continued feeding his passion for gymnastics as a coach; A role he has pursued for the past 16 years. As a leader in gymnastics, Ikeda has been part of many committees provincially and nationally which has given him insight to many aspects of our gymnastics community.  He currently coaches a member of the Senior National Team and has been part of Team BC for many years.  He looks forward to working on various projects to bring services to the province of BC.

The Provincial Performance Advisor position is a fantastic opportunity created to enhance and motivate the athletes and coaches in BC. The addition of both Burnett and Ikeda to our GymBC technical team allows both to share their knowledge with the next generation of athletes.

 “I am thrilled to have Richard and Jason on our team!” commented Christine Ormerod, Technical Director, GymBC. “Their combined years of knowledge will bridge the gap in order to provide the highest level of expertise and assist in building out our high-performance program as we look forward to the Canada Winter Games 2023 and beyond”.

About Gymnastics BC
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Gymnastics BC is a non-profit organization that delivers competitive and recreational programs for the sport of gymnastics in British Columbia. We are responsible for the governance, promotion, and development of gymnastics in BC and are dedicated to making gymnastics an accessible sport for all. Established in 1969, we are committed to providing exceptional support and services to our member clubs.

For More Information
Contact, Gymnastics BC
Michelle Comeau, Communications Consultant
e: mcomeau@gymbc.org