Emma Kathryn Mary Spence (born February 27, 2003) is a Canadian artistic gymnast. She represented Canada at the 2022 World Championships and won a bronze in the team event, their first team medal. She won bronze with the team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Individually she is the 2018 Youth Olympic bronze medallist on vault as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games all-around and balance beam bronze medalist.

Emma Spence
Personal information
Full nameEmma Kathryn Mary Spence
Born (2003-02-27) 27 February 2003 (age 21)
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
HometownCambridge, Ontario
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2017–present (CAN)
ClubBurlington Gymnastics and University of Nebraska
College teamNebraska Cornhuskers (2022–25)
Head coach(es)Kathy Hubbard and Heather Brink
Former coach(es)Elvira Saadi and Denis Vachon
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Liverpool Team
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham All-around
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham Balance beam
Pan American Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Santa Marta Team
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Santa Marta Vault
Youth Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Buenos Aires Vault
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
FIG World Cup 0 0 1

Early life

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Emma Spence was born in Cambridge, Ontario in 2003.[1] She is a Franco-Ontarian whose first language is French. Her great-grandmother was sprinter Mary Vandervliet who competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics.[2]

Junior gymnastics career

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2016–2017

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In 2016 Spence competed at Elite Gym Massilia. She competed on uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise and did not qualify to any event finals.[3]

In 2017 Spence competed at Elite Canada where she only competed the uneven bars, vault and the floor exercise, due to injury during the competition.[4] In March she competed at International Gymnix in Montreal where she won gold on the uneven bars.[5] In May she competed at the Canadian Championships where she won silver in the all-around behind Ana Padurariu. Additionally she finished fourth on vault and third on uneven bars and balance beam.[6] She was later selected to represent Canada at the International Junior Japan competition alongside Padurariu. Spence placed eighth in the all-around.[7] Spence ended the season competing at Elite Gym Massilia. She placed 26th in the all-around and fourth on vault.[8]

2018

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With Padurariu becoming senior, Spence entered 2018 as the top Canadian junior. In February she competed at Elite Canada where she placed first in the all-around, third on vault and first on uneven bars and floor exercise.[9] In March Spence competed at International Gymnix where she placed sixth in the all-around, seventh on vault, sixth on uneven bars, and eighth on floor exercise.[10] Spence was later selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships. While there she helped Canada win silver in the team final. In the all-around she placed fifth, and she placed fourth on vault and sixth on balance beam and floor exercise. At the Canadian Championships in May Spence placed second in the all-around behind Zoé Allaire-Bourgie.[11] In June Spence represented Canada at the 2018 Junior Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships. She placed fifth in the all-around and on balance beam and won silver in the team final.[12] As the top 2003-born gymnast, Spence was selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.[13] While there she qualified to the all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise finals.[14] Spence finished 10th in the all-around final,[15] third on vault behind Giorgia Villa of Italy and Csenge Bácskay of Hungary,[16] fifth on floor exercise, and eighth on balance beam.[17] She was selected as Canada's flag bearer at the closing ceremonies.[18]

Senior gymnastics career

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2019

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In 2019, Spence turned senior. She made her debut at Elite Canada where she placed seventh in the all-around and fourth on floor exercise.[19] In March she competed at the 2019 L'International Gymnix. She helped Canada win the silver medal. Individually Spence placed 14th in the all-around.[20] In May Spence competed at the Canadian National Championships. After the first day of competition she was in seventh place in the all-around. On the second day, Spence withdrew from the competition after only competing on uneven bars due to a knee injury.[21] In June Spence competed at the Flanders International Team Challenge in Ghent, Belgium alongside Laurie Denommée, Isabela Onyshko, Quinn Skrupa, and Rose-Kaying Woo. Together they placed fourth in the team final behind the Netherlands, Australia, and Belgium. Individually Spence placed sixteenth in the all-around.[22]

In September Spence competed at the Szombathely World Cup where she qualified to the vault, balance beam, and floor exercise finals. During event finals she won bronze on balance beam behind Noémi Makra of Hungary and Teja Belak of Slovenia and placed sixth on vault and fifth on floor exercise.[23]

2020

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In late January Spence was listed on a nominative roster that was released for the Melbourne World Cup, scheduled to take place on February 20. Her first competition of the season was Elite Canada, where she placed fourth in the all-around behind Ana Padurariu, Brooklyn Moors, and Isabela Onyshko.[24] At the Melbourne World Cup Spence finished tenth in qualifications on vault and uneven bars and was the second reserve for each of those event finals; however she qualified to both the balance beam and floor exercise finals. During event finals she placed eighth on each.[25]

In November Spence signed her National Letter of Intent with the Nebraska Cornhuskers gymnastics team, intending to start in the 2021–22 school year.[26]

2021

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At the Canadian National Championships Spence finished fourth in the all-around behind Ellie Black, Ava Stewart, and Laurie Denommée. She won bronze on the uneven bars and placed tenth and fourteenth on balance beam and floor exercise respectively.[27] In June she was named as a non-traveling alternate for the Canadian Olympic team.[28]

2022

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Spence was selected to compete at the Commonwealth Games alongside Laurie Denommée, Jenna Lalonde, Cassie Lee, and Maya Zonneveld.[29] On the first day of competition Spence led the Canadian team to third place behind England and Australia.[30] She was the only individual to qualify to all five event finals. She won bronze in the all-around final behind Georgia Godwin and Ondine Achampong. On the first day of event finals she placed fourth on vault and sixth on the uneven bars. On the second day she won her third bronze medal on balance beam, finishing behind Kate McDonald and Godwin. She placed fourth on floor exercise.[31]

Spence was selected to compete at the World Championships alongside Ellie Black, Sydney Turner, Denelle Pedrick, Laurie Denommée, and Shallon Olsen. While there she helped team Canada win their first medal at the World Championships, a bronze.[32]

Competitive history

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The vault medal podium at the 2018 Youth Olympics
Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2017 International Gymnix 22  
Canadian Championships      
Junior Japan Intl 8 7 6 7
Elite Gym Massilia 26 4
2018 Elite Canada        
International Gymnix 6 7 6 8
Pacific Rim Championships   5 4 6 6
Canadian Championships      
Pan American Championships   5 5
Youth Olympic Games 10   8 5
Senior
2019 Elite Canada 7 4
International Gymnix   14
Canadian Championships 7
FIT Challenge 4 16
Szombathely World Cup 6   5
2020 Elite Canada 4   4 8 5
Melbourne World Cup R2 R2 8 8
2021 Canadian Championships 4   10 14
2022 Big 10 Championships 6 10 18
Commonwealth Games     4 6   4
World Championships  
2023 Big 10 Championships 6 9 28 22 14 16
Gymnova Cup   5  
2024 City of Jesolo Trophy 7 14
Pan American Championships   4   5 4
Canadian Championships 7 5 17 6

References

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  1. ^ "National Teams Emma Spence". GymCan.
  2. ^ "Nebraska Cornhuskers profile: Emma Spence". Nebraska Cornhuskers women's gymnastics.
  3. ^ "2016 Elite Gym Massilia Results". The Gymternet. November 11, 2016.
  4. ^ "2017 Elite Canada Results". The Gymternet. February 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "2017 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. March 10, 2017.
  6. ^ "2017 Canadian Championships Results". The Gymternet. May 25, 2017.
  7. ^ "2017 Junior Japan International Results". The Gymternet. September 17, 2017.
  8. ^ "2017 Elite Gym Massilia Results". The Gymternet. November 27, 2017.
  9. ^ "2018 Elite Canada Results". The Gymternet. February 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "2018 International Gymnix Results". The Gymternet. March 11, 2018.
  11. ^ "2018 Canadian Championships Results". The Gymternet. May 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "2018 Junior Pan American Championships Results". The Gymternet. June 20, 2018.
  13. ^ "Cambridge's Emma Spence named to Youth Olympic team". Cambridge Times. September 8, 2018.
  14. ^ "Emma Spence (Dynamo) qualifies for finals on day two of the Youth Olympic Games". Gymnastics Ontario. October 10, 2018.
  15. ^ "2018 Youth Olympics – Congratulations – Emma Spence Finishes 10th All-Around and 3rd on Vault". Gymanstics Ontario. October 15, 2018.
  16. ^ "Canadian gymnast Emma Spence takes bronze at Youth Olympic Games". Canadian Broadcasting Centre. October 13, 2018.
  17. ^ "2018 Youth Olympic Games Results". The Gymternet. October 7, 2018.
  18. ^ "Emma Spence is Team Canada's Buenos Aires 2018 Closing Ceremony flag bearer". Canadian Olympic Committee. October 18, 2018.
  19. ^ "2019 Elite Canada Results". The Gymternet. February 2, 2019.
  20. ^ "2019 International Gymnix Live Blog – Senior Cup". The Gymternet. March 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Ellie Black wins sixth Canadian all-around title at 2019 Canadian Championships". GymCan. May 26, 2019.
  22. ^ "2019 FIT Challenge Results". The Gymternet. June 10, 2019.
  23. ^ "2019 Szombathely Challenge Cup Results". The Gymternet. September 11, 2019.
  24. ^ "Padurariu repeats as Senior All-around Champion at 2020 Elite Canada in Women's Artistic Gymnastics". GymCan. February 9, 2020. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  25. ^ "2020 Melbourne World Cup Results". The Gymternet. February 24, 2020.
  26. ^ "Huskers Add Canadian National Star Spence". Nebraska Cornhuskers. November 20, 2020.
  27. ^ "2021 Canadian Championships In Women's Artistic Gymnastics". GymCan.
  28. ^ "Canada's Tokyo 2020 artistic gymnastics team announced". GymCan. June 17, 2021.
  29. ^ "Canadian Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics Team Named for 2022 Commonwealth Games". GymCan. July 8, 2022.
  30. ^ "Alice Kinsella leads England team as they regain gymnastics gold in style". The Guardian. July 30, 2022.
  31. ^ "Emma Spence Captures Third Bronze in Artistic Gymnastics". Team Canada (Commonwealth Games).
  32. ^ "Team Canada wins historic bronze medal at Artistic Gymnastics World Championships". Canadian Olympic Committee. November 1, 2022.
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