MacLennan becomes first double Olympic gold

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 12, 2016: Women’s Trampoline, Four years after her triumph in London, Canada’s Rosannagh MacLennan took a second gold medal in Women’s Trampoline on Friday in Rio, becoming the first gymnast in the discipline to successfully defend an Olympic title.

A flagbearer draped in gold
MacLennan won Canada’s only gold medal in London and followed up with the 2013 World title. But her road to a second gold was not without its curves, including a concussion that impeded her training this past winter. For her perseverance as well as her past results, MacLennan was selected to carry the Canadian flag at the Opening Ceremony August 5.

MacLennan did not attempt her riskiest routine in the final, opting to sacrifice a few tenths of difficulty to optimize her chances of winning a medal. The strategy worked: though the 27-year-old ranked second among the eight woman field in difficulty, execution and time of flight, her overall score gave her the gold.

With her triumph, MacLennan carries on a tradition begun by her mentor Karen Cockburn, who won bronze in Sydney in 2000 and silvers in Athens and Beijing: the Canadian flag has waved over every Women’s podium since the sport became an Olympic discipline in 2000.

A new Page in British history
Before Bryony Page, no British trampolinist had ever qualified for an Olympic final, much less earned a medal. Page did both, turning in the routine of her life in final to secure silver on the strength of the highest execution score of the field. The 25-year-old, second to perform in the eight woman final, watched her name remain atop the scoreboard throughout the rest of the competition, collapsing in joyful tears when she realised she had secured a medal.

Bronze for patient Li Dan
In her first Olympic appearance, 2010 and 2015 World champion Li Dan jumped to bronze, delivering China its fourth consecutive Olympic medal in an event the nation has dominated at the World level for several years. Bouncing lightly as a feather, the elegant Li deprived teammate He Wenna, the 2008 Olympic champion and 2012 bronze medallist, of standing on the podium at her third straight Games.

In her first Olympic appearance, 2010 and 2015 World champion Li Dan jumped to bronze, delivering China its fourth consecutive Olympic medal in an event the nation has dominated at the World level for several years. Bouncing lightly as a feather, the elegant Li deprived teammate He Wenna, the 2008 Olympic champion and 2012 bronze medallist, of standing on the podium at her third straight Games. —- FIG