Victory celebration for Jason at Canada Olympic House in Beijing

A welcoming throng at Canada Olympic House greeted Jason and his mother, father and brother, on August 20th, in Beijing.

Karen talks about her Olympic silver medal in Beijing

Karen Cockburn came through yet again, winning her third consecutive Olympic medal in women’s trampoline in a clutch performance on August 18th at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing.
Men’s reserve trampolinist Bryan Milonja, a journalism student at Concordia College in Montreal, had the chance to chat with Karen in Beijing the day after her silver-medal [...]

Nansy Damianova – Living the Olympic dream

Nansy Damianova got her start in gymnastics as a five-year-old when her parents took her to the Gymnix Club in Montreal in an attempt to provide an outlet for her seemingly boundless energy.
Born in Paris, Nansy comes by her athletic prowess naturally. Both parents competed for Bulgaria, her mother Sophia on the rowing team, and [...]

Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs – Gearing up for Beijing breakthrough

Too young for the 2004 Olympics by just 10 months, Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs goes to the Beijing Olympics as a Canadian medal contender on both beam and uneven bars.
Since winning her first international medal at the Massilia Cup in 2005, Elyse has gone on to become Canada’s best-ever female gymnast.
Her bronze medal on beam at the [...]

Grant Golding – Lord Of The Rings

Grant Golding is one of a core group of veterans on the Canadian men’s team that has been instrumental in leading Canada to new heights on the international stage.
Grant has consistently delivered strong results at major international meets, including three Commonwealth Games, five world championships and the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Competing at the Athens Olympics was [...]

Adam Wong – Back On Top

Adam Wong missed most of 2007 with a torn achilles tendon but capped a remarkable comeback by winning the all around title at the 2008 Canadian championships.
He followed that up with a strong showing at a series of pre-Olympic training camps to clinch his spot in Beijing.

Before his injury, which occurred while practising his [...]

Brandon O’Neill – A Man On A Mission

For as long as he can remember the gym has been Brandon O’Neill’s life and the Olympics his ultimate goal.
After just missing out on the Athens Olympics as a promising 19-year-old, O’Neill goes to his first Olympics in Beijing with an established reputation as one of the best gymnasts in the world in the men’s [...]

Nathan Gafuik – Rising Star

As the reserve gymnast for the Canadian men’s team at the 2004 Olympics, Nathan Gafuik watched the competition from the stands. In Beijing Gafuik will be in the thick of the action as part of Canada’s best ever Olympic men’s gymnastics team.
Over the last four years, Gafuik has made huge strides as an all around [...]

David Kikuchi – Mr. Consistent

David Kikuchi has been a mainstay of the men’s national team for much of the last decade.
Coached by his father, Tak Kikuchi, he has consistently placed in the top three all around at national championships and has an equally impressive list of international accomplishments to his credit.
His best events are rings, parallel bars and pommel [...]

“Amazing coach” embarks on final challenge

After more than three decades as one of Canada’s most successful gymnastics coaches, Carol-Angela Orchard is approaching the end of the road at Toronto’s Sport Seneca.
But before shes retires, gets married and moves to England, there’s one final mission to accomplish this summer in Beijing with her star gymnast Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs.
Read Randy Starkman’s recent profile [...]