Halifax's Ellie Black places 7th at World Gymnastic Championships
Black also won gold in the all-around final at the Pan Am Games this past summer in Toronto
Halifax gymnast Ellie Black made history in Glasgow, Scotland on Thursday when she placed 7th in the women's all around finals at the World Gymnastic Championships — the highest finish ever for a Canadian woman.
Black was strong in the floor exercise, vault and uneven bars but fell off the balance beam — a mistake that likely cost her one or two spots in the final standings.
"I know she wasn't looking for a medal or anything. She just likes to go out and hit all 4 routines," said Jared Goad, a coach at Alta Gymnastics in Halifax, Black's hometown club.
"She'll be a little disappointed with the fall but I know she'll be happy with her result," he said.
After school on Thursday dozens of young female gymnasts were eyeballing a laptop carrying the live feed of the championship while they were practicing their routines.
Inspiration to young gymnasts
Black, 20, has become a role model for all of them.
"She's been such a big inspiration for a really long time," said Tea Stewart. "When we look at her and watch her train, we just say 'Oh it's just Ellie.' But to see her on this world stage, it's almost unbelievable."'
"Seeing her in practice, it's really cool," said Samantha Miller. "To see her do all her routines is really nice and it's neat to train with an Olympian."
Miller and Stewart were just two of many Ellie Black admirers at the Alta club, where Black's picture is splashed all over the walls.
"They just get so motivated by watching her," said Alta coach Carleen Cavanagh. "She'll come in and interact with them all and show them things, so it's a really good relationship she has with them."
Black's 7th place result follows up the gold medal she won in the all-around final at the Pan Am Games this past summer in Toronto.
Her next big international event will be the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.