Ottawa Sports Pages takes media prize at Gymnastics Ontario awards

By Ottawa Sports Pages

The Ottawa Sports Pages were among several local winners at Gymnastics Ontario’s 55th Annual Awards Banquet on Aug. 22 in Milton, earning the Media Award for outstanding coverage of Ontario gymnastics in the preceding 12 months.

OSP was saluted for “helping to foster community pride, athlete motivation, and greater public awareness of gymnastics as a sport requiring tremendous dedication, discipline, and resilience,” read the event program.

“What makes their contribution especially meaningful is their genuine effort to include athletes and organizations at all levels, not only elite performers, but also developing athletes, local clubs, and community initiatives that might otherwise receive little public recognition,” it adds. “Their coverage helps bring visibility, appreciation, and encouragement to the many individuals who dedicate themselves to sport.”

Among OSP’s stories during the 2025-2026 gymnastics season, Keiran Gorsky covered Ontario titles won by gymnasts who’d suffered strange injuries from volleyball and the school cafeteria and Kanata rhythmic gymnast Evangelia Sarlis’s road to a breakthrough Eastern Canadian title following several letdowns on big stages, Dan Plouffe wrote about Sarlis matching Ottawa’s best-ever rhythmic gymnastics nationals finish and Ottawa Gymnastics Centre athletes overcoming a flu bug that ripped through their gym just before their provincial qualifying meet, while Plouffe and Gorsky combined to write about national championships medallists as well as Edge Gymnastics shutting down due to a massive flood, and Martin Cleary reported on Lauren Mooney/Mackenzie Grant receiving a Petro-Canada Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence award as well as the launch of the Battle Royale pro gymnastics league and Ottawa athletes’ results at several international competitions.

“I was definitely feeling a bit choked up hearing how appreciated our coverage is,” recounts OSP executive director Dan Plouffe, while thanking OGC women’s program director Nausikaa Muresan for making OSP’s efforts known.

“Gymnastics is the exact kind of sport that matches our mission,” he adds. “It’s got huge participation, super passionate and dedicated people involved with it, and such great stories to tell, but it gets little to no attention in mainstream media at all, especially at the community level.

“So this means a lot to us and I’m really proud of our team’s work.”

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Gymnastics Ontario counts over 85,000 registered gymnasts annually among nearly 200 clubs across the province.

Several other Ottawa figures were also among the award winners.

Muresan accepted the Lil Babineau Club Builder Award on behalf of Celeste Fung, a member of OGC’s board of directors who “stepped forward selflessly to help support the organization at a critical time,” reads her award biography.

“Celeste has played an important role in helping improve the financial position and overall management of the Centre while supporting stability, collaboration, and forward planning for the future of the program,” it continues. “Her calm presence, professionalism, generosity, and unwavering commitment to the athletes, families, and staff have made a lasting impact on the club and everyone around her.”

Melanie Li received the Cameron Namek Coach Excellence Award, recognizing her work as a coach and judge in the sport over the past decade. Li was saluted for inspiring gymnasts to unlock their full potential while fostering a positive and trusting culture, building confidence, and treating all her gymnasts with respect.

Among those receiving Long Service Awards for milestone years of involvement in gymnastics were Ottawa’s Laurie Loh and Jocelyne Legault.

Loh, who was one of three individuals honoured for 40 years of service, has served as program director, judge and general jack-of-all-gymnastics trades for numerous local clubs, while Legault is the long-time head coach of Les Sittelles in Orleans.

They will be given Blue Gold Sapphire Crystal and Diamond lapel pins respectively.