Zachary Clay

Zachary Clay
Full nameZachary Clay
Born (1995-07-05) July 5, 1995 (age 29)
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
HometownChilliwack, British Columbia
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team2011–present (CAN)
ClubTwisters Gymnastics Club
Head coach(es)Richard Ikeda
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast Team
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Glasgow Team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Pommel horse
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Santiago Pommel horse
Silver medal – second place 2023 Santiago Team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lima Team
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Lima Pommel horse
Silver medal – second place 2023 Medellín Team
Pacific Rim Championships
Silver medal – second place 2024 Cali Team
Silver medal – second place 2024 Cali Pommel horse

Zachary Clay (born July 5, 1995) is a Canadian artistic gymnast. He is the 2017 Pan American and 2023 Pan American Games champion on pommel horse. He represented Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Gymnastics career

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2014–15

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Clay helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland.[1]

In 2015 Clay tore his ACL and fractured his tibia during a competition.[2]

2017–19

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Clay competed at the 2017 Pan American Championships. He won gold on pommel horse, earning his first major international title.[3] He later competed at the World Championships where he placed 21st in the all-around.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games Clay helped Canada finish second as a team. Individually he won the bronze medal on pommel horse behind Rhys McClenaghan and Max Whitlock.[4] In September Clay competed at the 2018 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. The following month he competed at the World Championships where he helped Canada finish 18th during qualifications.

Clay represented Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru. He helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final. Individually he placed sixth during the pommel horse final.[5]

2022

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Clay competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart. During the team challenge he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. At the 2022 World Championships Clay helped the Canadian team finish tenth during qualifications. He did not qualify for any individual finals.[6]

2023

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Clay competed at the 2023 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada win the silver medal.[7]

In October Clay competed at the 2023 World Championships alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Emard, and Jayson Rampersad. During qualifications he helped Canada finish fourth, which qualified Canada a team berth to the 2024 Olympic Games, a feat last achieved by the Canadian men's gymnastics team in 2008.[8] During the team final Clay contributed a score on pommel horse towards Canada's seventh-place finish.

Clay next competed at the Pan American Games. On the first day of competition he helped the Canadian team win the silver medal behind the United States.[9] Individually he qualified to the pommel horse final. On the first day of event finals Clay won gold on pommel horse ahead of compatriot Rampersad.[10] In doing so, Clay became the first Canadian to win gold on pommel horse at the Pan American Games.[3]

2024

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In late June Clay was named to the team to represent Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Émard, and Samuel Zakutney.[11] While there he helped Canada finish eighth as a team.[12]

Competitive history

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Year Event Team AA FX PH SR VT PB HB
Junior
2011 Commonwealth Youth Games 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 4 4 5 6
Senior
2014 Elite Canada 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Canadian Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Commonwealth Games 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 8
World Championships 14
2015 Elite Canada 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4
World Championships 15
2017 Canadian Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Pan American Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 6
World Championships 21
2018 Elite Canada 5 8
UCIC Calgary 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Commonwealth Games 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Canadian Championships 5 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 8 8
Guimarães Challenge Cup 5
Pan American Championships 5 7
World Championships 18
Toyota International 4 6
2019 Elite Canada 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 5
UCIC Calgary 7 4 4 5
Canadian Championships 4 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
Pan American Games 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 6
2021 Koper Challenge Cup 4
World Championships 19 44
2022 DTB Pokal Team Challenge 5 6
DTB Pokal Mixed Cup 4
Paris Challenge Cup 4
World Championships 10
2023 Elite Canada 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Pan American Championships 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
RomGym Trophy 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
World Championships 7
Pan American Games 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5
2024 Elite Canada 5 6 11 9 9 7 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
DTB Pokal Team Challenge 11
Pacific Rim Championships 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
Canadian Championships 7 11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 14 7
RomGym Trophy 4
Olympic Games 8

References

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  1. ^ "Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2014 Commonwealth Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  2. ^ "8 years ago, an injury almost ended Zachary Clay's gymnastics career. Now he's helped Canada make the Olympics". CBC News. October 2, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Fraser Valley's Zachary Clay becomes first Canadian to win Pan Am gold in pommel horse". Surrey Now-Leader. October 25, 2023.
  4. ^ "Artistic Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2018 Commonwealth Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 24, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  5. ^ "Artistic Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2019 Pan American Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  6. ^ "2022 World Championships Men's Results". The Gymternet. November 9, 2022.
  7. ^ "U.S. claims men's and women's team titles at Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics. May 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "Canada sending men's gymnastics team to Olympics for 1st time since 2008". CBC News. October 1, 2023.
  9. ^ "Santiago 2023 - Team USA claims Pan Am Games men's artistic gymnastics team gold - results". International Olympic Committee. October 21, 2023.
  10. ^ "Men's Pommel Horse FINAL". 2023 Pan American Games. October 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "Team Canada gymnasts setting the bar high for Paris 2024". Canadian Olympic Committee. June 28, 2024.
  12. ^ "2024 Olympic Games Men's Results". The Gymternet. August 5, 2024.
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