Humble, loyal and better than ever, Ellie Black is a national treasure
CBC
There she is, tumbling and twisting her way into the stratosphere in what is arguably the world's most impossible sport.
At 27 years of age gymnast Ellie Black is still going strong.
She's defying the march of time and some say she is better than ever. More importantly, she's taking this country to new heights on the international stage in a pursuit which is tailored to athletes much younger than herself.
"She's not afraid to be so great," exclaimed the effervescent Elfi Schlegel, a Commonwealth Games champion for Canada in 1978. "I feel youthful when I watch her. She's not afraid to be Canadian and to belong where she is. She really needs to be applauded for all that she's done and continues to do."
What Black has done since making her major international debut at the London 2012 Olympic Games is nothing short of remarkable.
As a 16-year-old, she helped lead the Canadian women to the team final at those Games for the first time in history. They wound up finishing fifth, which is unheard of when you consider the depth of competition.
As an individual performer, Black is a two-time Pan American Games champion, Commonwealth Games champion, and world championship silver medallist in the all-around category which requires every gymnastics skill in the book. To list all of her international medals would be an exhausting exercise, as there are almost too many to count.
Longevity is rare in women's gymnastics. Black has already competed at three Olympics and in each has recorded landmark Canadian results. There was the team breakthrough in London. In Rio in 2016, she was fifth in the all-around and in Tokyo she just missed a medal by finishing fourth in the balance beam final on a badly sprained ankle.
All of these results are best ever by a Canadian woman.
WATCH | Black wins silver at artistic gymnastics worlds:
Most recently, while competing at her seventh world championships in Liverpool, England, she anchored the current squad full of rookies to historic bronze and qualified for what could potentially be her fourth Olympics. She followed that up with a silver medal in the balance beam.
This is rarified air for a female gymnast.
"What makes Ellie so special is her complete desire and motivation to put the team at the forefront of success," said Brittany Rogers who was Black's teammate at two Olympics. "She is the perfect description of a team player. She is a tremendous leader for not only her fellow team members and national team athletes, but an incredible example of hard work and dedication for the entirety of gymnastics in Canada."
WATCH | Ellie Black secures historic world championship medal for Canada:
