Zachary Kelly Gymnastics

Eight years ago, a near career-ending injury almost halted Zachary Clay's journey in gymnastics. But now, he has helped Canada secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics. On a Monday, Canada's men's gymnastics team made its way to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, and Zachary Clay from B.C. played a crucial role in this achievement.
The men's team needed a twelfth-place finish in the preliminary round of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. They ended up finishing fourth. For this 28-year-old athlete, born in Langley and now living in Chilliwack, it signifies a success he has been striving for since he started gymnastics at the age of 5. Clay also had to overcome a career-threatening torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a competition in 2015, which posed a risk to his career. He is now the oldest male gymnast on the team but says he can't wait for the opportunity to compete on the Olympic stage.
He said, "Almost every time the Olympics came around... we usually stumbled in some way. We've had injuries back-to-back in the past. But, you know, we've definitely learned from our mistakes, and now we're stronger than ever here." Clay, who trains in Abbotsford, has competed in seven World Championships in the past. His specialty is pommel horse, a wooden and steel apparatus with a pair of handles (pommels) attached to it. He spoke with a smile from his hotel room in Antwerp, saying, "Seeing these young guys, being able to share this moment with them – it's very surreal."
While the men's team has advanced to the preliminary round, which marks the first time Canada is representing at the Olympic level since Beijing in 2008, Clay still needs to qualify for the team through national trials. He said, "This journey is not over for me yet. There's still a lot of work to be done, but we're all very excited and can't wait for next year."
The men's team is also competing in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships final in Belgium on Wednesday, which is one of the most prestigious competitions outside of the Olympics or Commonwealth Games. The team final will be broadcast live from Antwerp, Belgium, at 13:30.

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