Canada finishes fifth in women's artistic team gymnastics final

PARIS — The last time Canada competed in a women's gymnastic team final, Ellie Black was a newcomer in her first Olympics. This time around, she returned to the event as a seasoned veteran in her fourth. On Tuesday, the 28-year-old from Halifax led the Canadian team at the Paris Games to an identical result to the one it reached in London 2012, with a fifth-place finish that remains the highest the country has achieved in the event.

"Twelve years was a long time to wait to get back into that team final," Black said, "but I was really proud of the team to be able to do that. The team is my favourite so to go out there and have another opportunity with these girls on the competition floor was super awesome."

Black, Ava Stewart of Bowmanville, Ont., Cassie Lee of Toronto, Aurelie Tran from Repentigny, Que., and Vancouver's Shallon Olsen finished with a combined score of 162.432.

Simone Biles and Team USA handily won the gold medal with a combined score of 171.296, while Italy (165.494) secured silver and Brazil (164.497) claimed bronze. Great Britain placed fourth with 164.263 points. Black said her feeling going into the team event 12 years ago was a little different than in London, when the team made the final for the first time in Canadian history. That feeling of newness may be gone, but she said the happiness and gratitude to be there are the same.

"Just soaking it up," she said.

The Canadians sat fourth after the first apparatus with three solid performances on balance beam, led by Black’s score of 14.300.

They slipped to 7th after the floor routine, before recovering to 4th after strong vaults from Black and Olsen.

Olsen, who only competed on one apparatus, posted Canada’s strongest vault of the night with a 14.400 score.

Black, who competed in all four segments, said the Canadians were satisfied with their performance. "I think we did a really phenomenal job to come fifth," she said. "Our team score was great, we tied our best ever in team finals like last time. It’s a pretty awesome day."

For 18-year-old Lee, competing in her first Olympics was a "surreal" experience. She said she felt nerves before starting on the beam, but that she came in with a good mindset after having a good routine in qualifications.

"Once I got on the beam, all of it just went away and I felt confident," she said.

There were a good number of Canadian flags clustered throughout the packed Bercy Arena, although the crowd reserved its loudest roars for the American team and Biles, who once again cemented her legacy at the top of a list of all-time gymnastics greats with an eighth Olympic medal. As the crowd erupted in cheers for the winning U.S. side, Black lifted her phone in the air, taking in the atmosphere with her Canadian teammates as the Americans celebrated their gold.

There has been speculation in Paris about whether these Olympics will be Biles' last, which is a question Black is also facing.

But the Canadian veteran brushed off the question, saying "I’m thinking about what I’m going to have for dinner tonight and then probably what I’m going to do to rest and get ready for tomorrow."

In the short term, Black and Stewart have to prepare for the all-around final on Thursday. Black and Olsen will also compete in the vault final on Aug. 3.

After that, Black's not saying.

While the sport used to be dominated by teenagers, athletes like Black and Biles, who are 28 and 27, are changing the perception of what's possible.

"As long as my body’s feeling good, I still have goals I want to achieve and I can help the team, I’ll probably stay around and do some more gymnastics for a while," Black said, adding that she'll reevaluate after she's had time to rest after Paris.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2024.