Canadian women earn spot at 2027 artistic gymnastics worlds after failed attempt at Olympic berth

Four-time Olympian Ellie Black and her Canadian teammates placed eighth and last in the women's team final at the 54th world artistic gymnastics championships on Wednesday in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the first major qualification event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Canada, which qualified seventh of eight teams for the final, moved as high as fifth following uneven bars with one event remaining, balance beam.

However, only Italy (37.732) scored lower than the Canadians (37.866) on the beam at Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre, dropping the latter to eighth overall.

Gabrielle Black, Coralie Demers, Lia-Monica Fontaine, Lia Redick and Black scored 158.096 across the four disciplines after amassing 160.130 in qualifying. Zoe Tsaprailis is serving in a reserve role.

China prevailed with 165.764, winning only its second world championship title and first in 20 years, and automatically qualified for the L.A. Olympics with the other medallists. The United States (165.531) grabbed silver with its 13th consecutive medal at worlds, ending a run of seven straight titles that began in 2011. Bronze medallist Japan (164.063) will send a five-member artistic gymnastics team to the Summer Games for the first time since 1966.

The gold medal was the first for China at a major international competition since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Canada has qualified for next year’s worlds — Sept. 29-Oct. 8 in Chengdu, China — where the remaining Olympic spots will be determined, plus at subsequent continental pathways.

In late July, the 31-year-old Black helped lead Canada to a score of 157.300 and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the team was first in balance beam and floor exercise, second in vault and fourth