Cambridge gymnast Emma Spence headed to Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) and Gymnastics Canada have announced the athletes who will represent Team Canada in Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from July 28 to Aug. 8.

Ten athletes in Artistic Gymnastics (five per gender) and three athletes in Rhythmic Gymnastics make up this year’s Commonwealth gymnastics Canadian teams.

The Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) team includes 2018 Youth Olympic Games team member and Cambridge native Emma Spence, as well as Laurie Denommée who recently captured three medals at the 2022 Cairo World Cup in Egypt. 

Réne Cournoyer, a returning member of the Canadian gymnastics team for a Commonwealth Games, competed in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia winning silver as part of the 2018 men's team event, along with three fourth place finishes in the rings, parallel bars, and high bar events.

“I'm really excited to participate at my second Commonwealth Games,” shared Cournoyer. “Last time, we had a historic third place ranking for Canada for medals won. This time we are coming in with a younger and promising team, ready to show the world what we can do.”

In the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) competition, René is joined by 2022 Canadian Champions Felix Dolci and Chris Kaji as they compete in their first Commonwealth Games. The Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) team includes 2018 Youth Olympic Games team member Emma Spence, as well as Laurie Denommée who recently captured three medals at the 2022 Cairo World Cup in Egypt.

“I’m super excited for my first Commonwealth Games,” shared Denommée. “I have heard so many good things about attending the Commonwealth Games competition. I’m really looking forward to being there and competing with Team Canada!”

As such a popular sport, Team Canada leadership are excited support this team and to see what this 2022 team can do at the Birmingham Games.

“Team Canada has been a perennial medal favorite in the Gymnastics events at the Commonwealth Games,” says Scott Stevenson, Executive Director, Team Canada 2022. “We always look forward to seeing Canada’s best gymnasts lead the way for our team at the Games.”

The Artistic Gymnastics competition will take place at the Arena Birmingham (King Edwards Road, Birmingham) from July 30 to August 2 with team and individual events in MAG and WAG, including qualification and final sessions.

The Men’s Artistic Gymnastics competition will include eight events: rings, vault, pommel horse, horizontal bar, parallel bars, floor exercise, individual all-around, and team all-around. The Women’s Artistic Gymnastics competition will include six events: uneven bars, vault, balance beam, floor exercise, individual all-around, and team all-around.

The Rhythmic Gymnastics competition will take place at the Arena Birmingham (King Edwards Road, Birmingham) from August 4 to 6. The Rhythmic Gymnastics competition will include six events: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon, individual all-around, and team all-around.

Birmingham 2022 will feature 19 sports and eight para-sports as part of its program with up to 4,500 athletes taking part. The Commonwealth Games are the only multi-sport event that feature equal standing for sport and para-sport events, and these 2022 Games will showcase the largest para-sport program ever. In addition, for the first time in its history, the Games will feature more medal events for women (135) than men (133).