BGC gymnast wins bronze medal at World Championships

A gymnast from Burlington Gymnastics Club was one of five athletes to win team bronze medals in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool, England this week.

The team was the first in Canadian history to medal at the Worlds and has secured a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

But BGC gymnast Emma Spence almost missed the historic moment, after she missed tryouts due to an illness and failed to make the travelling squad.

The 19 year old, who attends and competes with the University of Nebraska, told the sports site GymCastic that she had to scramble to perfect her routines after a series of events led to her securing a last-minute competition spot.

"I had to get my routines together quick," she said after the medal win. "It's been crazy. I honestly did not expect this."

Team Canada entered the competition in 8th place and was not expected to medal.

But the gymnast,  who grew up in Cambridge, told GymCast: "We were super proud and happy. We stuck together. We had no falls. That really helped us."

Speaking to BurlingtonToday, BGC head coach Kathy Hubbard described Spence as a "brilliant and confident gymnast".

"She has actually worked very hard over the last year and a half to two years and really found enjoyment in her gymnastics," Hubbard said. "She is a joyful, confident competitor."

Hubbard said gymnasts and coaches gathered at the club on Monday to watch the competition and were thrilled so see the Canadians medal. "We were cheering and celebrating," she said. "There were a few tears."

Spence will be a great inspiration to the younger gymnasts who watched in amazement, Hubbard said.

The BGC coach was instrumental in getting Spence to the Worlds after she was named a non-travelling, second alternate. Hubbard petitioned to have officials take into account Spence's strong performance at the Commonwealth Games, where she won three bronze medals.

Spence had resigned herself to not competing, but officials took the petition into account and she was moved to the travelling squad. Another athlete's injury landed her in the competition at short notice.

In addition to perfecting her routines quickly, Spence made a quick mental transition from speaking at an International Gymnastic Federation (FIG) conference on safeguarding in the morning to competing the same evening.

As a member of the Safeguarding Working Group, Spence spoke at a session on a gymnast-centred approach to safeguarding alongside Romanian Olympic champion Andreea Raducan.

"She went back to her hotel, changed and went out to compete," Hubbard said. "She is quite an amazing lady."