Zachary Clay

Zachary Clay
Full name	Zachary Clay
Born	(1995-07-05) July 5, 1995 (age 29) Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Hometown	Chilliwack, British Columbia
Gymnastics career
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team	2011–present (CAN)
Club	Twisters Gymnastics Club
Head coach(es)	Richard Ikeda
Medal record Representing   Canada Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Team 2014 Glasgow Team 2018 Gold Coast Pommel horse Pan American Games 2023 Santiago Pommel horse 2023 Santiago Team 2019 Lima Team Pan American Championships 2017 Lima Pommel horse 2023 Medellín Team Pacific Rim Championships 2024 Cali Team 2024 Cali Pommel horse

Zachary Clay (born July 5, 1995) is a Canadian artistic gymnast. He is the 2017 Pan American and 2023 Pan American Games champion on pommel horse. He represented Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Gymnastics career

2014–15

Clay helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland. ^[1]

In 2015 Clay tore his ACL and fractured his tibia during a competition. ^[2]

2017–19

Clay competed at the 2017 Pan American Championships. He won gold on pommel horse, earning his first major international title. ^[3] He later competed at the World Championships where he placed 21st in the all-around.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games Clay helped Canada finish second as a team. Individually he won the bronze medal on pommel horse behind Rhys McClenaghan and Max Whitlock. ^[4] In September Clay competed at the 2018 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. The following month he competed at the World Championships where he helped Canada finish 18th during qualifications.

Clay represented Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru. He helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final. Individually he placed sixth during the pommel horse final. ^[5]

2022

Clay competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart. During the team challenge he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. At the 2022 World Championships Clay helped the Canadian team finish tenth during qualifications. He did not qualify for any individual finals. ^[6]

2023

Clay competed at the 2023 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada win the silver medal. ^[7]

In October Clay competed at the 2023 World Championships alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Emard, and Jayson Rampersad. During qualifications he helped Canada finish fourth, which qualified Canada a team berth to the 2024 Olympic Games, a feat last achieved by the Canadian men's gymnastics team in 2008. ^[8] During the team final Clay contributed a score on pommel horse towards Canada's seventh-place finish.

Clay next competed at the Pan American Games. On the first day of competition he helped the Canadian team win the silver medal behind the United States. ^[9] Individually he qualified to the pommel horse final. On the first day of event finals Clay won gold on pommel horse ahead of compatriot Rampersad. ^[10] In doing so, Clay became the first Canadian to win gold on pommel horse at the Pan American Games. ^[3]

2024

In late June Clay was named to the team to represent Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Émard, and Samuel Zakutney. ^[11] While there he helped Canada finish eighth as a team. ^[12]

Competitive history

Year	Event	Team	AA	FX	PH	SR	VT	PB	HB
Junior
2011	Commonwealth Youth Games		7	4	4		5	6
Senior
2014	Elite Canada
	Canadian Championships
	Commonwealth Games							8
	World Championships	14
2015	Elite Canada							4
	World Championships	15
2017	Canadian Championships							4
	Pan American Championships					6		6
	World Championships		21
2018	Elite Canada		5		8
	UCIC Calgary
	Commonwealth Games
	Canadian Championships		5			8			8
	Guimarães Challenge Cup				5
	Pan American Championships	5	7
	World Championships	18
	Toyota International				4	6
2019	Elite Canada			7		6		5
	UCIC Calgary		7		4			4	5
	Canadian Championships		4			6
	Pan American Games				6
2021	Koper Challenge Cup				4
	World Championships				19			44
2022	DTB Pokal Team Challenge	5						6
	DTB Pokal Mixed Cup	4
	Paris Challenge Cup				4
	World Championships	10
2023	Elite Canada
	Pan American Championships
	RomGym Trophy
	World Championships	7
	Pan American Games							5
2024	Elite Canada		5	6	11	9	9	7
	DTB Pokal Team Challenge	11
	Pacific Rim Championships
	Canadian Championships		7	11		7		14	7
	RomGym Trophy				4
	Olympic Games	8

References

1. "Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2014 Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on December 8, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
2. "8 years ago, an injury almost ended Zachary Clay's gymnastics career. Now he's helped Canada make the Olympics". CBC News . October 2, 2023.
3. "Fraser Valley's Zachary Clay becomes first Canadian to win Pan Am gold in pommel horse". Surrey Now-Leader . October 25, 2023.
4. "Artistic Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2018 Commonwealth Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 24, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
5. "Artistic Gymnastics Results Book" (PDF). 2019 Pan American Games. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
6. "2022 World Championships Men's Results". The Gymternet. November 9, 2022.
7. "U.S. claims men's and women's team titles at Pan American Championships". USA Gymnastics . May 28, 2023.
8. "Canada sending men's gymnastics team to Olympics for 1st time since 2008". CBC News . October 1, 2023.
9. "Santiago 2023 - Team USA claims Pan Am Games men's artistic gymnastics team gold - results". International Olympic Committee . October 21, 2023.
10. "Men's Pommel Horse FINAL". 2023 Pan American Games . October 24, 2023.
11. "Team Canada gymnasts setting the bar high for Paris 2024". Canadian Olympic Committee . June 28, 2024.
12. "2024 Olympic Games Men's Results". The Gymternet. August 5, 2024.

External links

• Zachary Clay at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Zachary Clay at Team Canada
• Zachary Clay at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)