Gymnastics Canada  – SOFIA, BUL (November 10, 2017) – Sophiane Méthot of La Prairie, QC and Sarah Milette of Longueuil, QC laid down two successful routines on Friday at the 2017 FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships to advance to the finals in women’s synchronized trampoline while the women’s double mini-trampoline team also advanced to the finals.
 
Méthot and Milette finished their two routines with a total score of 86.300, qualifying them to the finals in the eighth and final spot.
 
“We trained hard all year to perform good synchro routines so it was great to have good routines here,” said Milette, who together with Méthot are attending their first World Championships. “Our objective was to reach the finals.”
 
The other Canadian synchronized pair, Samantha Smith and Rachel Tam of Toronto, ON did not compete in the event due to an ankle sprain experienced by Tam in her training leading into the competition.
 
In double mini-trampoline, the Canadian women hit all of their passes and together qualified for the team finals in fourth place. The team will be looking to stand on the podium in the finals having won gold at the World Championships in 2015. Team members include Jordyn Miller-Burko of Toronto, ON, Karine Dufour of Laval, QC, and Danielle Grieve of Regina, SK.

“I’m really happy with the team qualifying for the team finals because with only three athletes, there wasn’t any margin of error,” said Dufour, the lone returning member from Canada’s 2015 team. “We’re in form and we’re going to give our everything in the team finals.”
 
Miller-Burko was the top ranked individual Canadian and finished in ninth place with a score of 68.100, putting her as the first reserve for finals should there be an injury or a scratch.
 
Dufour improved her personal best ranking at the World Championships, finishing 18^th overall, while Grieve, the newest senior national team member, finished 20^th.
 
In the men’s double mini-trampoline competition, Jon Schwaiger of Ancaster, ON and Mark Armstrong of Airdrie, AB, finished 14^th and 29^th respectively. Russian Mikhail Zalomin, the 2015 World Championships and 2017 World Games gold medallist, finished first in the qualifiers, completing his two double mini passes for a nearly two point lead ahead of the next competitor.
 
In the women’s individual trampoline team final, Smith of Toronto, ON performed a strong routine scoring 55.420 points, 1.440 higher than her optional in the preliminary round. Despite the strong routines, Smith and teammates Méthot, and Milette finished fifth overall.
 
“We’re a young team so we can be happy qualifying for team finals and finishing 30 skills,” said Smith of the team’s performance.
 
Saturday will see Canadians compete in the women’s synchronized trampoline final and women’s double mini-trampoline team final. While on Sunday, trampoline semi-finals and finals will close out the championships.
 
For full World Championship results and detailed schedule, click here.
 
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 
Office: 613.748.5637 x 233
Cell: 819.210.2064
Email: jforget@gymcan.org
SOFIA, BUL (November 9, 2017) – Canada’s female trampoline team was the highlight of day one at the 2017 FIG Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria on Thursday, advancing beyond the preliminary rounds in both individual and team events.
 
Samantha Smith of Toronto, ON scored a personal best of 102.205 in the women’s trampoline preliminary competition, finishing 10th. Sophiane Méthot of La Prairie, QC, who is competing at her first World Championships, also scored a personal best and finished 14th overall with 101.750 points.
 
With both Méthot and Smith finishing in the top 24, they will advance to the semi-finals on Sunday and will be aiming to place in the top eight and advance to the championship final.
 
Sarah Milette of Longueuil, QC and Bronte Dundas of Richmond Hill, ON also represented Canada in the women’s trampoline qualifier, finishing in 33rd and 59th place respectively. Milette and Dundas are both competing at their first World Championships.
 
The women’s individual scores combined together to form the team’s overall score, leaving them in fifth place overall and in the last qualifying position.  Smith, Méthot, Milette, and Dundas will now represent Canada in the women’s team final on Friday against China, Belarus, Japan, and Great Britain.
 
Smith finished eighth in the women’s individual final in 2014 and second in the team event in 2013 and will be looking to improve her World Championship results this year. “I had a great competition today, and am really happy with the results,” said Smith. “We have a really young and talented team, and I’m looking forward to competing in the individual semi-final and the team final with them!”
 
“Today’s performances were great! With three of our four girls competing at their first World Championships, they pulled through,” said head trampoline coach, Dave Ross. “Our veteran, Samantha Smith [at her fifth World Championships], received her highest score ever in competition and they all contributed to a good team score. They’re looking forward to competing in the team finals on Friday and I’m happy to see two Canadian women in the individual semi-finals!”
 
Canada’s lone man in individual trampoline, Keegan Soehn of Red Deer, AB, had a personal best preliminary round score of 108.090, finishing 34th and in the top half of the rankings. 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist and three-time Olympian, Dmitrii Ushakov of Russia, finished the preliminary round in first position with 115.260 as his total score.
 
In men’s tumbling competition, Jon Schwaiger of Ancaster, ON finished 19th in a field of 35 with 68.900 points. He completed two clean passes but will not be advancing to the finals.
 
In women’s tumbling, Jordan Sugrim of Mississauga, ON finished 30th after both passes included mistakes. “My competition definitely didn’t go as planned but I’m proud and happy with how I prepared for this meet,” said Sugrim. “Being the first competitor of the entire competition was intimidating and I didn’t do my best. With the World Games earlier this year being my main focus, attending this competition was just icing on the cake to a successful competitive season. Although I’m not pleased today, for it being my 5th World Championships and the last competition of the season, I’m happy with everything surrounding my performance and can only look forward.”
 
The World Championships continue on Friday with men and women’s synchronized trampoline and double mini-trampoline preliminaries as well as the trampoline team finals.
 
Here are the Canadian athletes competing on Friday:
 
Synchronized Trampoline – Women
·      Sophiane Méthot and Sarah Milette, La Prairie/Longueuil, QC
·      Samantha Smith and Rachel Tam, Toronto, ON
 
Double Mini-Trampoline – Women
·      Jordyn Miller-Burko, Toronto, ON
·      Karine Dufour, Laval, QC
·      Danielle Grieve, Regina, SK
 
Double Mini-Trampoline – Men
·      Jon Schwaiger, Ancaster, ON
·      Mark Armstrong, Airdrie, AB
 
Trampoline Team Final – Women
·      Samantha Smith, Toronto, ON
·      Sophiane Méthot, La Prairie, QC
·      Sarah Milette, Longueuil, QC
·      Bronte Dundas, Richmond Hill, ON
 
For full World Championship results and detailed schedule, click here.
 
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 
Office: 613.748.5637 x 233
Cell: 819.210.2064
Email: jforget@gymcan.org