Pickering, Bowmanville athletes hoping youth will be served in Tokyo

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Published July 7, 2021 at 1:15 pm

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Durham Region Olympic profiles #4

A member of Canada’s Woman’s Basketball squad with two years experience on the national team and a gymnast – just 15 years of age – will be looking to make a big impression at the Tokyo games this month.

Ava Stewart, who trains out of Oshawa’s Gemini Gymnastics club, would not have been eligible to compete in the Olympics had the Games gone on as scheduled last year. As it stands, Stewart only qualifies under the 16 year-old minimum rule because she will hit that milestone later this year.

Stewart, who was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, has been a national team member since 2020.

She will compete in four events in Tokyo – the beams, floor, vault and her favourite event, the uneven bars.

Shaina Pellington, a 5’6″ guard from Pickering, is hoping to make a big impact on the floor for the Canadian women, who will be one of the medal favourites.

Pellington, 22, now has 13 caps for her country after playing in the 2019 Pan Am Games and all three games of last year’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where Canada went 3-0 to book their ticket to Tokyo.

Pellington spent two years playing for the University of Oklahoma before transferring to Arizona, where she will suit up for the Wildcats this fall.

Gymnastic begins July 24 while the basketball competition starts the following day.

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