November 22, 2003

Young Canadian gymnasts impressive
at Massilia Cup

MARSEILLES, France- A young Canadian women’s squad faced a world championship calibre field and posted a very respectable 10th place finish in the team event Saturday at the 19-country Massilia Cup gymnastics competition.

Romania, which were the world team silver medallists in August at Anaheim, Calif., upset the world champion Americans for the gold with 73.850 points. The U.S., settled for silver at 73.575 and Australia showed their bronze in Anaheim was no fluke placing third at 73.000. All three squads featured world championship team members.

Canada finished 10th with 69.150 points with national all around champion Gael Mackie, 13 of Vancouver, Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, 13, of Toronto and Laura-Ann Chong, 14, of Abbotsford, B.C. None of the three were on the team that placed 10th at the worlds in August to enable Canada to field a full squad for the Olympics next year. However Mackie and Chong will be vying for Olympic team berths next year.

‘’Our girls put on a show tonight,’’ beamed Canadian coach Carol-Angela Orchard of Toronto. ‘’The best of the best were here but our team was able to settle down and perform beautifully. This will give them a lot of confidence.’’

A second Canadian team comprised of Madison Ward, Jennifer Lezeu and Aisha Gerber, all of Cambridge, Ont., were 15th.

Andrea Munteanu led Romania to a 1-2 finish in the all around standings with 36.975 points followed by Monica Rosu second at 36.875 while Courtney McCool of the U.S., was third at 36.375.

Mackie placed 14th at 34.925, Gerber was 22nd at 34.225, Hopfner-Hibbs 23rd at 34.175 and Chong 34th at 33.025.

As a team Canada, also placed sixth on uneven bars and eighth on beam to qualify one gymnast for each of those event finals. Mackie will compete in both finals on Sunday.

‘’Gael has been a very strong leader here,’’ said Orchard. ‘’She was unable to compete at the worlds because of illness and this has been a great experience for her as she prepares for the Olympic trials next year.’’

repirnted with permission