Freshly-crowned top-tier provincial champ thanks home OGC team for making win possible

By William Bailey

Alexandra Reddick won the biggest prize available in the highest level of competition at the Ontario Women’s and Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships Friday at the EY Centre, and immediately passed on props to others from the host Ottawa Gymnastics Centre.

“It felt great to be able to execute so well, but I know a lot of the credit goes to our great coaching staff that have helped put me in a position to succeed,” indicates the Level 10 women’s Age 16+ all-around champ. “I especially owe a lot to (OGC teammate) Cléante (Théorêt), and having her here competing with me once again is very special.”

One year younger than Théorêt, Reddick followed in her fellow L10 competitor’s footsteps earlier this season when she won the Ontario Tour Selection meet back in the fall.

Read More: OGC gymnast follows in teammate’s footsteps as both claim Team Ontario tour berths

The Grade 11 Glebe Collegiate Institute student came close to perfection at provincials with her winning mark of 9.950 in the vault event, while she was also third on balance beam and floor, and fourth on uneven bars out of the 29 athletes who competed in the division’s two sessions.

Théorêt, who placed 13th overall, was competing in her final provincial championships before heading off to the University of New Hampshire where she’ll compete in NCAA gymnastics on scholarship.

“It’s been a journey for sure,” reflects Théorêt, who won three medals including a gold at the 2023 Canada Games. “I feel blessed to have been able to be a part of gymnastics for almost my entire life, and to have this experience here at home is an incredible feeling.

“I’ve enjoyed every moment of this, and I’m excited for the next chapter in my career.”

Read More: 1,200 gymnasts set to flood EY Centre for Ontario Championships

A pair of Nepean-Corona teammates finished within the top-3 of the combined standings from two L7 2009-2008 sessions. Sofia Singhal posted the top all-around score at 38.350, while Brooke Revitt was third with 37.934.

Ottawa’s Katherine Varney was that division’s best on uneven bars, while Edge Gymnastics’ Ebony Adegbile was third.

Corona’s Lori Peters posted consistent performances across all four events (fourth on vault and bars, third on beam and seventh on floor) to emerge with the best L7 Age 16+ all-around score of 37.933 to win by .017. Rideau’s Sarah Antifave placed third on floor in the same category.

Kanata Gymnosphere’s Ellie Wink won the all-around silver in L6, 2015-2014 with gold on bars, silver on beam and bronze on vault, missing the overall title by a minuscule .051-point margin with a score of 37.916.

Tumblers’ Alexandra Van Der Velden (L6, Age 16+) and Tryumph’s Hadleigh Campbell (L7 2013-2012) each earned silver medals for their respective vault and beam routines.

In men’s action, OGC’s Zachary Rajotte, Liam McLean and Yasir El Sakka finished in order from fifth through seventh in the Junior high-performance Age 15-16 division, while local athletes also occupied sixth through eighth place in Junior Age 17-18, with Tumblers’ Thomas Da Silva leading the way just ahead of Ottawa’s Elliot Choi and Pavel Kirillov.

Another trio of OGC athletes all earned silver medals in Provincial 5 men’s events – Connor Nguyen and Sullivan Gilchrist (tied in vault), and Finn Slechta (rings).

Read More: Rideau Gymnastics men fly to top on Day 1 of hometown provincials